Shadow of a Bride
by ImaginedDreams
Summary: Six boys, two girls and one soul. Vampire hunter Airi Takane has sworn to protect innocent humans like her cousin Yui Komori from vampires. like the Sakamaki brothers. But Airi soon recognizes neither Yui or her are that much different from these enigmatic six boys and their dark futures. Especially when something wants nothing more than to kill them all...
1. Prologue (1)

**A/N: ** Hello readers and fellow DiaLovers fans! Just a quick heads up, this story is slow starting. We have the first 8 chapters, and we'll be uploading over the course of this next week. We advise you be patient. There is a lot of Sakamaki fun scenes (or at least we think so) as the story progresses. Constructive reviews are always appreciated-and of course even dropping by to say "Hello"! We hope you enjoy our creation! :)We don't own Diabolik lovers or anything else associated with it just our Ocs.

-ImaginedDreams

**Shadow of a Bride**

**Prologue:**

_Hey, Yui. _

_I know this might seem sudden, and I'm sorry for not saying 'goodbye'. Something has come up with an urgency that can't be ignored. I will write to you everyday Yui-chan, that's a promise. So in return could you look after Jii-san._

_It will only be for a couple months until I can figure out what exactly happened with my parents. They have been on pins and needles as to what to do with the funeral for my Obaasan who recently passed away last week. I am going to help them with the preparations on how to deal with the loss. I can't believe I'm finally getting to see Japan. At least I won't have to deal with homework. (And don't you dare send me any extra assignments! I don't need that following me three thousand miles away, thank you very much.)_

_Guess I should get to the point of this letter then._

_Yui. Just make sure you stay safe and keep out of trouble! Okay. I know you aren't the one that usually gets in trouble, but just don't do anything stupid while I'm gone. Hopefully my trip doesn't take me too long. _

_I'll make sure to call you when I arrive. Getting back home will be a much better reception with losing Obaasan. Even though I didn't know she even existed, thinking about her death… Death in general-well, you know how I feel about it..._

_There's so much sadness around it all, it almost makes me wonder how anyone can handle it and smile again after going through such a loss..._

_Yeah. So if you need anything don't hesitate to call me Yui. I scrawled my number on the back of this paper. Even though I'm not home now know matter what happens I'll always be with you._

_Sincerely (do people actually write this stuff? Ugh),_

_~Airi Takane_

_P.S. : I know what you're thinking so you can save your breath and don't worry, Yui. I won't get myself in trouble while I'm away. Pinky promise._

_If anyone should be careful anyways, it should be you. Please be more wary. I know it's hard for someone like you, but the truth is: there are dangers not always noticed by you. Right now, I can't keep the both of us safe, so make sure to pick up my slack for me and try not to get yourself injured or worse, killed._

_I know you're probably pouting right now at me for saying this, but stay safe. And…you know I love you right? I said it before, didn't I?_


	2. Chapter 1

**x Chapter One x**

"Okay. What is it with vampires and castles?"

Beside me, long-time friend and fellow vampire hunter Hageshii Vayner chuckled at my sarcastic observation, but the sound was not happy. Brows furrowing with worry, I tilted over mid-step and bumped our shoulders. His steely frame didn't even budge, but without pausing, he glanced down from his 6'3" frame and cocked his head.

"Yes?" Blue eyes were stormier than usual, dizzying emotion flickering back. Then again, maybe it was just all the fauna boxing in the smoothly paved pathway we were slowly making our way up. A blast of un-seasonal warm wind teased the leaves, their dark foliage pronounced on the floor in front of us glowing from the nearby evenly-spaced lamp posts.

It all gave an old timey-feel to the property.

"Somebody's mad. And don't even try to tell me you're not, seeing as you wear your emotions on your sleeve and all. So, wanna tell me what's up your butt?"

"Do you always insist on being so crude?"

I shrugged and my feigning nonchalance was disrupted by the grin winning over my face. I always thrilled in horrifying him with my force of habit badmouth.

He sighed. "I'm not mad. Please don't imagine things."

"You are too, Vayner. Didn't I just say that wouldn't work on me? If you don't want to tell me, fine. But don't lie to me. I'm not a dumb child." I said as my smile slipped.

"Nobody's making that accusation. If you were a child, I wouldn't have you at my side, now would I?"

He did make a good point, and I called our truce with a nod and right on time. We had managed to break free from the tree-lined path and stopped before what appeared to be an inner gate.

Much like the larger one back down where we left our ride, this tiny fence was a black iron with the most interesting curlicue designs. Writhing creatures decorated the metal bars, demonic beasts of startling disproportions.

"You know what to do right?"

As Hageshii said this, his hand fell over one of these demons. Turned away from me, his eyes are trained ahead.

"Only like the back of my hand."

"Good." With that said, he made quick work of the latch on the other side, his advantageous height allowing him to pull his hand over and unlock the contraption. There was no ominous creak as he pushed it open, someone seemingly having maintained the hinges.

At the door, we were received by a human security. Together four men framed us as the navigation through the interior of the stately home began. It was hard to stay emotionless, especially when everything I passed begged for my undivided attention.

I had to focus for what was to come next. At Hageshii's signal, I stopped and doubled over, my best act of howling pain echoing off of the hall walls.

A bustling started around me, but my hair was an impenetrable curtain to all of the actions.

Amidst the chaos, I felt an arm fall over my waist, its warm support nudging me upwards. Above me Hageshii said, "Bad dinner. She suffers from terrible acid reflux. Is there any place my partner might be able to go to lay down?"

There was a general grumble at the request, and then the sound of buzzing walkie-talkies.

Hageshii's arm squeezed a silent plea for assistance as we seemed to be losing our believable grounding. I didn't want to know what would happen if this didn't work.

So sucking in a deep breath, I launched into an embarrassing tirade. "Ow!" I moaned, all dramatics and all hopefully imperceptible to these tough-looking men. All of it was a lie. I was perfectly healthy, but if I needed them to think I was close to my deathbed, then I would.

"Please God! Make the pain stop. Uhhhh…." My groaning elicited more thoughtful grunting from the security. But just when I thought I might have to forgo any dreams of becoming an actress, over the buzzing noise when of the guards said the words

"Okay. That's fine. Follow me and bring her this way, sir." Addressed as such, Hageshii's arm pushed down, and then I felt his form hunch to the floor and before I realized what was going on I was cradled in his arms. An immediate instinct was a rambunctious rejection.

My legs dangled wildly, and my hands on their accord pushed against his chest.

"Stop." He hissed in a hot whisper, adding with a gentler note, "Just relax, okay?" And a little louder for our muscled, all-in-black spectators, "You're sick and delirious. This way we'll get where this kind gentleman is taking us much faster."

I tried to relax, but I found myself unable to release the tension freezing my limbs. I even tried for as little contact as possible, but that'd proved harder than it appeared when one of my hands insisted on flattening atop his chest for an added support. He was wearing his trademark black tee and over that the black bomber jacket he never parted with. Completing the look down below were a pair of regular dark denims and worn work boots.

His preference for black was understandable in our line of work, but that didn't stop me from wearing colours. I just had to be more careful during battles as it would be quite the problem if I were walking around covered in vampire blood from head-to-toe.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't smart to be wearing the neon pink concert tee and dark purple skinnies. The latter emblazoned with a list of touring European bands was a token from a rock 'n' roll-filled night of live performances from favourites. Normally I'd have this baby locked up in the bottom drawer of my dresser for only special occasions. Right now I couldn't be parted with it though; it eased the wariness of travelling three thousand miles from the only place I'd ever called home.

So where Hageshii seemed at home in his all-black attire alongside the similarly somberly dressed guards, I felt even more the intruder as we were whisked through a door into what I assumed to be a bedroom, although it looked more like a large den area.

The four-poster mega-sized bed gave it away, and it was on this bed that Hageshii dropped me on.

"You should lie down. You don't look so good." He said, leaning down to level our eyes.

His hand cupped my cheek, the roughened pad of his thumb stroking over the skin there. Probably his best features, his blue eyes worked their magic well beyond our acting ruse. In fact so much so I forgot that we were acting for a couple of seconds, my head tilting to the side to sink into the grip of his large palm.

I'd liked to say that I recovered on my own, but it was Hageshii's free hand grasping the other side of my face and repositioning my head that brought me back to reality.

He dropped both his hands away and straightened to full height, and as if he didn't trust himself crossed his arms over his chest.

"Do you mind if she remains here for a bit? To rest up, that is."

The guard raised a finger, unclasping the walkie-talkie from his utility belt and speaking Hageshii's request into the receiver. There was a series of crackled responses over the course of a long, long minute before he finally replaced the two-way radio. "It is all right if she stays here, but not for too long. There is a meeting you have. You," he pointed to Hageshii, "cannot stay however. Not in this room at least, but outside if you prefer."

The door closed ominously on their departing backs, and I sat there watching after them much longer than I should have considering our plan.

My space-out moment aside, I bounded off the bed and frisked the room as fast as I could without upsetting anything. But before I touched anything, I yanked out some latex gloves from their tight hold in my jeans and struggled whilst pulling them on.

We were doing what we normally did during a mission. Scope out our surroundings, make sure that this wasn't what it could always be: a potential trap.

Much like how those big game hunters sport camouflage outfits to sneak up on their prey, we had to blend in the territory of the enemy and part of that including finding out what they had in store for us. Sometimes that required going through people's underwear.

"I'm so asking for a raise when I get back." I said as I dropped a lacy thong back on top of the pile of other matching pieces and slapped the drawer closed, shuddering to think what else the room might hold. "There is no way I'm going through the garbage. No way."

At least I managed to keep that promise, and instead of searching the dustbin I skimmed through the only book shelf in the room. It was dense with books with pictureless covers and barely legible print on yellowed pages. I was definitely not a reader. Yui loved that more than I did, so I imagined she might be at home among the musk nestled within these old pages.

But I pored through as much as I could, sneezing over nothing that appeared to be evidence. And my allergies were all sacrifices for the leads this spooky mansion could be hiding in its copious amounts of dust among its odd arrangement of order.

For instance, it was strange that one part of the house seemed more like a showroom-an area that'd never been lived in, while another looked so well-worn it was in clear need of some serious house cleaning.

My thorough search through the room somehow had me approaching the only visible escape route. A wide window partly concealed by heavy blood red drapes. I pushed aside the other half and found myself separated by a thin glass from the sprawling green lawn below. Though only a floor down, it still looked like the fall could do way more damage than any risk-taker's first impression might suggest.

The missing balcony was nowhere to be found, and yet it seemed like it'd always been there. A sense of eerie familiarity had rooted me to the spot.

I didn't know how long I stood there, only that some time must have passed because I was at least able to feel the sharp pangs of discomfort spark up from the bottom of my soles. My heeled boots pinched and I wished I had more common sense to stick with sneakers or other comfortable footwear along that vein.

It was a combination of this discomfiture and disquiet that resolved me into moving my position. Then the realization of my immobility came to a stark reality. My limbs were unresponsive; their dead weight remained in the standstill of another time-one that was entirely divided from what I wanted my body to do right then.

As I struggled, I noticed the air had gotten chillier. My bare arms were ghosting the beginnings of goose flesh. Unable to move my head as well, I had a perfect view of the spreading fog.

_No! Not fog…_

The breathe arched up into a hazy film over the glass, diffusing sharp dual angles. Like the wings of a bird. Off and on it came out in spouts until the image imprinted longer than usual and I finally moved. On its own accord my hand came up, and the slight hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as my fear-sweaty, latex-covered palm brushed the cold surface of the window.

I don't know what broke the spell of immobility first. Personally I liked to think it was my strong will, but the more and more I thought about it afterwards, I owed whatever made the window nearly fall back into the window out of its frame in the wall.

A heartbeat knocked the frame inwards twice. Two large frightful thumps that had me stumbling back onto my ass and crawling backwards to get away from the area.

I liked to think very little scared me, and in fact, sometimes I thought nothing scared me. Call it a vampire hunter complex, or whatever, but it was me. I didn't scare easy, but I was so frightened then. At least enough that I realized I'd been screaming. My mouth slammed closed on the final dying screeches of uninhibited fear.

Pulling myself up off the floor, I grasped the door handle of the bedroom door and after two times of losing a proper grasp from the latex gloves, I finally swung it wide open for the much wanted escape.

Of course that didn't mean I wanted everyone to know I was running away from something entirely intangible like a big, bad possibly haunted room.

And of all those people to be Hageshii. He was sheathing his taser on the clip around the upper leg brace as he appraised my entrance with a cool once-over, or exit-depending on which way you happened to be looking at it. "Sleeping Beauty finally awake?"

"I wasn't sleeping." I retorted, happy to latch onto the anger blossoming in place of the spurt of fear-induced adrenaline. "But boy, was my acting really that good?"

"Yeah. You could have fooled just about anyone…" He trailed off, a small smile lifting his lips as he said, "But me.

I wrinkled my nose, waving his comment away. Little-by-little I regained myself in the presence of Hageshii. Grateful for his companionship, I was free to look around and my eyes settled on the latest floor decorations. In the signature of his attacks, the bodies of the guards were supine. Hageshii never attacked from behind. He'd told me himself he thought it was cowardly to take any other route while attacking if it wasn't from the front.

Though none of this explained why the bodies were on the floor anyways.

"What happened?"

"What do you think happened?" He shrugged his shoulders, eyes switching between the two men. "They attacked me first."

"No way! Wait! What happened to laying low?"

"What part of 'they attacked me', do you not understand?" He said. Already on the move, he stepped over the nearest fallen guard and continued down the hall. I shadowed his steps eagerly, my head snipping around to gaze back at the slightly ajar bedroom door which only restarted the clip of window-pounding horror as if it already wasn't replaying in my head.

"So… Were you making a lot of sounds out here then?" I asked, continuing to sneak glances backwards.

"I don't know. Was I?" His nonchalance was doing much for my irritable curiosity.

"Well that's why I'm asking, you idiot! Yeesh. Were you or weren't you?"

He stopped and he looked at me. I stumbled to a hurried stop, uneasy under his inspection. "Any particular reason you care?"

"I, well, it's just I…" I bit my lip, fishing for an explanation on the spot was sorry attempt when the interrogator happened to be Hageshii.

With a perception I expected, he narrowed his eyes and I felt his hands on my shoulders long after I was drawn closer in. One of those hands rose up from their position clenching my upper forearms and cupped my jaw. My eyes were forced into the blue space of his own. "I asked you a question. What's up, Ai?"

"Nothing."

"Really? That's the best you got. If you're gonna lie, then do it right." His hand offered a gentle squeeze that contrasted that hard gaze drilling a hole through my skull. It was hard to hold onto my shameful truth. I wanted to tell him everything I'd witnessed in the bedroom. About the misplaced balcony, the window, the immobility-all of it, but that meant an admittance of my fear and the release of my pride.

"It's nothing, okay. You just made a lot of noise, that's all. It isn't like you to get sloppy, Vayner, I mean aren't you worried the other guards heard and are gathering backup as you stand here wasting both of our time with these silly questions?"

My attempt to turn my head away was futile, and he held fast onto his grasp for several heartbeats longer. I noticed his head had gotten closer, so much so that the flickers of gold among the never-ending blue surrounding his dilated pupils. Then I settled my sights lower, which wasn't exactly surreptitious of me. Those too-perfectly sculpted lips moved at the formation of his warning. "This isn't over, you know. Whatever you're hiding, I'll hear it from your own lips. I promise."

Then his warmth disappeared altogether.

He'd covered quite the distance in the lengthy corridor from my wary form before his voice floated back, once again monotonous in comparison to the fiery passion he'd just used to speak those last words. "Don't dawdle. Just in case those guards are really around.

Looking the opposite way for what I really hoped was the last time I concentrated on pushing my feet into motion towards Hageshii's retreating figure.

Room by room our search was unhindered. It was eerily quiet, and after coming out of yet another chamber empty-handed I'd reached my limit.

Hageshii stepped back from the door, his eyes continuing their survey up and down the hall. "Anything?"

"No." I replied, unable to hold back the bitter fatigue in my voice. It was tiring to be chosen to scour the rooms while Hageshii stood guard. "You've got the next room. If I have to look under one more bed, I'll flip."

"Nice try. Go ahead." He paused in front of yet another identical-looking door, his hand already falling onto the shiny brass latch. Determination swam in the blue of his eyes, brows relaxed and his mouth, too, was unresponsive to my glower.

"But that's totally unfair! Why do I have to do all the work while you just stand around doing absolutely nothing?"

Hageshii sighed. "Who said I'm not doing work?" Not letting up, I countered with a barrage of angry protests. Raising his hand to stop what we both knew was going to be a ceaseless tirade.

"Listen, I'm not going to let you wait it out here. So we didn't bump into any more trouble, but who's to say it won't show up?" As he said this, his head turned away to the side, eyes staring off down into the empty corridor, his unblinking gaze seemingly monitoring some unseen shadow. "Just get in there and find us something good."

I tensed at the emotion vibrating in his voice. My fiery sense of justice diminishing, I stepped forward, juggling the challenge of pushing the door and avoiding his hand as it moved off of the handle.

Partially closing the door behind me, I glanced around quickly, expecting pretty much the same standard fare as the other myriad of rooms I'd invaded. Even before my eyes fell on the large, U-shaped desk in the center or across the floor-to-ceiling book shelves facing off from opposite ends of the chamber, I sensed a wave of something intangible. It powdered the space with a colourless trail, yet it left its dominant impression. I blinked, and it was about all I managed. Somehow forgetting to move, my feet rooted to the ground below me, my limbs laden with an immediate heaviness.

The same feeling from earlier washed over me; a mixture of dread preceded the distressing deja vu. And just as it had with the balcony-less window, I regained my conscious from the distraction of an outside force.

No glass-breaking this time, a knock filtered through the recesses of my foggy disorientation. A tingle leaped up from my toes to the top of my head where it coalesced into a burst of pounding pain at my temples. Snapping my eyes closed in response to the already receding flash of discomfort and giving my head a good shake I maneuver myself around to answer the increasing frequency of booming knock.

Dismissing the tingling away, I opened the door to face an irritated Hageshii.

"About time…" He trailed off from his reprimand. The short pause filtered out the irritation and replaced it with a brow-furrowing worry. Using what I knew to be his impressive skills of perception, I expected his voiced concern but I still shivered by the booming alert in his tone. "What happened?"

He'd uncrossed his arms, his boot passing the threshold between hall and room. I backed away, watching as he seized the movement to ease past me.

"Did you find anything?"

"No." I mumbled, shifting to the side. "I mean, yes, I did. I guess. Kinda."

"Not all of us talk in riddles."

My cheeks flushed, defensive signals folding my arms over my chest and tilting my chin up into the air. "I'm not talking in riddles. It's not my fault you don't understand. I did find something—"

The resulting hitch in my thought process came from another vibrating jolt as an unseen force pushed around me.

"Airi!" My name was brushed against my forehead. Twisting around, my senses flooded back in time as I realized I was in Hageshii's arms. My face pushed against the top of his chest, nose at the hollowed base of his neck. "Airi! Shit."

"I'm fine." I whispered, focusing on lifting my head off the warm space of his skin. "Stop yelling. I'm fine."

"You sure as hell don't look fine." He said. It came with a squeeze that spoke volumes, something along the lines of 'don't move'.

I stilled, my eyes fluttering from an unexplainable weariness. "Probably just jetlag." I mumbled, more to myself. I hadn't told Hageshii about the incident with the balcony, and now, the reaction I'd gotten from this room.

"Well whatever it is, you need to rest."

"Rest?" I interjected. My lips had accidentally moved up and the word I'd just spoken pressed into his skin. I felt the jerk in his body and the subsequent tightening of his arms around the middle of my back. Turning my head to the side, I rested my temple against his chest. As feeling returned to my arms, I shifted my palms out to lay over his sinewy pectorals. The hard muscles twitched beneath their fitted black top.

"Hageshii… Let me go. I wanna go…" I found enough strength to support pressure behind my hands. All my efforts went to waste, and instead of producing the desired result, I was subject to another powerful squeeze.

"Stop moving."

"Hageshii."

"Airi." He cleared his throat. My name had come out all hoarse, akin to a plea. A shaky heartbeat later and he released me. "You're not feeling well."

"I am, too. Who died and made you doctor anyways? I said 'I'm fine', okay?"

The release was gradual. First his chest pushed away, then his arms slide down my length, brushing off before reaching my sides, and then eventually I found myself standing alone.

Hageshii hadn't moved from his spot, rather I was left to branch out the distance between us. When I was a safe arm's-length away, I steeled myself to meet his hard gaze.

I studied his face carefully, trying to catch any hint that might let on if he felt the odd sensation permeating the room as well. But his features remained expressionless for the most part, only his eyes hinted the cogs working rapidly in his head.

"See? I told you I was fine." I said, gesturing out with my hands, even stamping the ground with both feet just once for added effect. My stab at humour was acknowledged. He blinked and then twisted away.

By the time I moved forward myself Hageshii had rounded the desk and had already made quick work of one of the side drawers.

"Hey! So now you want to do the searching?" I taunted, my hands spreading out of the opposite side of the desk. Without looking up from flipping through a stack of mixed paper, he grunted.

Confused by his reaction, I brushed it away and grabbing onto the feeling of panic, I lifted my hands from the desk and began to cross over to the welcome safety of the shelves. "I'll be over here checking out these books, okay?"

It was in the middle of one book that the epiphany struck. My finger mindlessly traced the yellowed page, and glancing over my shoulder, I focused on Hageshii's side profile. Though he appeared entirely absorbed by the papers in his hands, I knew better. Hunters never lost sight of their surroundings. Living in the present was the only way to stay alive, especially when our enemies happened to be the supernatural. And Hageshii was a damn good hunter, so there was no way he wasn't aware I was checking him out.

Blushing at that thought, I swiveled my head around. In my haste, my hands wobbled and the book slipped out from their quaking cradle off of my knee and onto my not-so-quick foot. The contact brought a wave of throbbing pulsations from my injured foot.

Letting out a profanity, I swallowed the pain and scooped up the, otherwise harmless, book. Busying myself with replacing it as the other option was facing my black-haired, morose spectator. But as I dreaded the silence, I found myself chuckling nervously. "Well hopefully this mystery man will show himself soon. You know, before I end up killing myself preferably."

There was no reply to my comment, other than the sound of rustling paper and creaking floorboards, I might has well have been invisible or alone in that room.

If I could assume one thing that came out of my little antics it'd be that Hageshii was angry. I felt indignation rise up my chest, make a rapid crawl to the breach of my throat where it bounced off my tongue and almost got me in trouble. Clamping my mouth down on any more speech, I focused on picking up the last two books off of the ground.

All of this had started at the idea of my scoping Hageshii…

Which is totally ridiculous! I mean, this is Vayner we're talking about here!

All right. So it probably wouldn't take much torture for me to admit my partner was a hot, in a poetic broody way, and I'd seen first-hand some girls who'd shown their desire for his affection. But as those girls swept up the pieces of their hearts off the ground, I watched more step over those rejected souls to try their own luck. If I'd been a kinder person, I might have warned my fellow fairer sex, but on the other hand I also imagined it probably wouldn't change anything.

As far as I knew, he hadn't ever expressed an interest to any girl. At least, nothing he flaunted around me. And that was a lot of nothing usually. Nine years hadn't closed the gap between us, and three of those spent as partners brought me close enough to knowing his favourite colour. Then again this hunting gig hardly required us to know much more about each other. As long as we could fight and offer support in the heat of battle, there wasn't much time for speed-dating.

So the only thing more ludicrous than Hageshii as potential boyfriend-material was the notion that he was nursing the throes of rejection.

Just as I dipped my toe further into the dangerous, murky waters that was Hageshii, one of the books in my hand hung open and from its gaping jaw of decrepit, dusty pages a sheet of square white fluttered out.

Not having settled on the floor for even two seconds, I crouched down after it. I pushed the book hurriedly into the shelf, wanting to free my hands for the mysterious white sheet that wasn't entirely white at all.

It was a photo, the imprint of the camera brand watermarked on the back in a peeling gray font. Itchy fingers flipped over the image, and I came face-to-face with the most beautiful women.

The trio was all facing the camera head-on, their eyes unwavering even in this lifeless form. At first I found myself distracted by what they wore: similar dark rouge robes—the look Red Riding Hood would have envied. However a closer look of each revealed the stark distinctions.

On my left a blonde captured the attention. Her elegant tresses hung down from the obscurity of the red hood covering the rest of, what I was sure was, her stylish do. Green eyes claimed the spotlight, detracting attention from a thin, expressionless mouth and a swallow expression. The primness of her hands so neatly folded at her middle offered a difference to the laxity of posture in the second woman.

At the center of the photo sitting the tallest in her throne was a fleshier woman. Her larger girth stretched the material of the robe, particularly in her chest area. She lounged against the seat, the sleeves of the robes pulled back to reveal length, black-painted finger nails. The dangerously sharp points matched the frightening countenance of confidence on her lips and in her eyes. Mocking was the best way to put it, almost like she could see me and the sudden squeezing of my chest responded.

Afraid by the reaction, I skipped past her hurriedly, concentrating on alleviate the terrible shaking of my hands. At least long enough to study the third and final model.

In fact where it seemed the robe was two sizes smaller with the second one, the last of the three females was swallowed by what appeared to be a robe a few sizes larger.

Bad tailoring aside, there was nothing to detract the loveliness of the pale skin, shocking against the blood-red garb surrounding her small face. Crimson eyes shimmered through the distance and time of the still, and whatever it was impressed her pink lips in a curious downturn.

I almost envied the photographer. I would have liked to know who these beauties were and what story connected them.

_Like why was this picture tucked away where no one would most likely look? Did they not want to be seen? If so, why did they take the picture in the first place?_

Deciding I'd had enough alone time with my thoughts, I shared the mysterious information.

"Hey Hage—Vayner." Recalling his misplaced anger, I peered over at him. Even I was attuned to the wavering in my voice, so I wasn't surprised he looked up, his forehead crinkling into its omnipresent mixture of irritable anxiety. Holding up the photo to allay any misunderstanding, I said, "I found something."

He set aside the papers without further prompting, his long strides suggesting he might business. I stuck out the picture away from myself, before he could come any closer and we had a repeat of embarrassing embracing, or anything else equally confusing and scandalous.

As he pored over the photo, I wrapped my arms around my torso. A chill kissed my bare arms and I shivered at the intrusion. The room's temperature had dropped without my knowledge. I glanced at Hageshii trying to gauge the same expression from him, but he continued to keep his eyes on what I chalked up to be as our only evidence thus far.

Our only link to the life we'd left behind. Thirteen hours ago I was hugging family at Geneva International while Hageshii watched from afar, both of our tickets gripped in his hand. With no family of his own I hadn't expected him to understand the momentous first of leaving the few and little who loved you unconditionally for an unfamiliar world, a continent and eleven countries away from home.

I managed to untangle my arms to bring my cold-sore fingers to my lips. I kissed the tips, alternating between this and blowing warm air over the numb flesh.

It had gotten colder and colder, and I looked over at the open door to the office, beginning to presume it was the source of the as-of-yet explainable temperature drop, I prepared myself for the probable, that more guards had been dispatched after all, but also for the worst, that something for sinister had been eluding my knowledge; something connected to my visceral responses to this place—this castle-like mansion was to blame.

Hageshii hadn't closed it, and I understood it was for the purpose of keeping our guard. Contrary to popular belief, sometimes leaving ourselves open for an attack was all we had to do if we wanted to stay alive. But right now it seemed to be more than the root of the chill; dread clenched my stomach muscles, my professional instincts flaring the more I watched the borders of the door's frame where soon shadows appeared, their peeping dark blobs surrounding the light shining from the chamber.

I opened my mouth, warning readied when I felt a familiar tide rush my senses. Not sure when I came to use the book shelf behind as support, I clutched onto the wood edges with all the strength I could muster, my other hand bunching the material over my right breast.

Air choked at my throat, my head spun from the lack of oxygen and my vision responded in like, dotting a blend of red and black. Then only black…

"Airi!"

In what felt like a rewind, I heard the alarming call of my name and drew back to a world of forming colours. The warm yellow goal and earthy tones of the room came into stark relief, along with the unwanted throe of breathless weakness.

I had come to on the floor. My body twisted towards the bottom shelf where my arms were a makeshift pillow for my reclining head. My hair had come undone from its loose ponytail, and the result was a curtain of my recently chopped pixie crop filtering out my view of much of my floor-leveled surroundings.

Lacking most of my mental process, it took a little longer to hone in on our addition. During my intermission of unconsciousness, a static noise had filled the room and with it came an intuitive foreboding for a bodiless threat. Struggling with my noodle-like legs, I tuned into another noise, one that was rivaling the steady pace of the white noise. Growling.

Forgetting to appreciate I had made it onto my knees, I looked around and up from my stunted height to confirm the frightening noise to a certain partner of mine.

Hageshii's head was already appraising the room. In fact if he was tense before than it was nothing compared to his posture now as his legs spread open to fall into a crouching stance. The best way I could describe was a moment I had during a school field trip. After wandering from my class, I stopped at the big cat area of the menagerie where a lioness who'd been nursing her cubs at the Berlin Zoological Garden had reared in defense against the invasion of zookeepers handling daily meals. Similar to the feline mother, the corner of Hageshii's lips brushed apart to make room for the fangs. Sharp and white bone flashed in the light, glaring danger to any intruder.

Which reminded me yet another reason I couldn't fall from his outward appearance—no matter how sexy and feral he looked now with the fringe of blue-black hair settling over his eyes—my partner and perhaps one of the better-trained vampire hunters I've had the honour to know was also one of the very creatures we hunted.

A vampire.

* * *

A/N: I forgot the disclaimer for the first chapter,lol. I don't own Diaboliks Lover or its characters, but I do own my Ocs.


	3. Chapter 2

**x Chapter Two x**

Well, half-vampire.

Thought the proper term would be dhampir. Rare in his own right, Hageshii straddled the worlds of humans and vampires and that should have made a difference. Still the word twisted in my head, soured my mouth and renewed a frequency of chills over my skin. Like those fangs of his had pierced through me, I began a momentum of uncontrollable shivering.

He's your friend. He's your friend. Relax. It's only Hageshii…

As my thoughts trailed away, the chanting reminder helping somewhat with the bout of irrational anxiety, I concentrated on lifting myself up. I'd be of no use to myself if I wasn't on my feet.

My shoulder dug into a top frame, where my sweaty palms fastened until I could hold my own legs up.

"You all right?" The snarled question didn't match the suggested concern, nevertheless, lacing his words. When I didn't reply to his standard of speediness, Hageshii let out another growl. "Fuck. Would you answer me already?"

Somewhat of a paradox, but fear loosened my tongue; at least enough for me to murmur, "I'm fine."

"You're lying, but you're standing. Can you hold on while we get out of here?"

"W-w-wait. What a-about the m-mission?" I asked finding my voice much easier the second time around.

"Don't think there was any damned client to start with, and we sure as hell aren't going to stick around to find out if it is a set-up."

"A set-up! Shouldn't we call HQ then? They'll probably freak out if we just leave. And hey! If this is anything about me being all loopy, I've fine. Really. I'm just—" I'd gone from fear-addled speechlessness to babbling

"You're not fine, Airi, and we're leaving." Hageshii's interjection had his head twisting to face me. His glare daring me to continue fighting him, and only my long drawn quietude calmed him.

"We're leaving." Hageshii reiterated, tone clipped by another growl. Straightening to his full height, he dropped the photo. I followed its crumpled form skip a little ways from his boots. Tamping the urge to run and pick it up, I focused on his approaching form.

His head craned down from his height, blue gaze assessing my face. Unsure of his interpretation of what he saw there, his mouth closed over those natural weapons of his kind. Whether intentional or not, the gesture relaxed my muscles. It was bad enough he looked like he wanted to eat me still, but at least now there wasn't a razor-sharp reminder he could do it quite efficiently if he wanted.

He's your friend.

His larger hand engulfed my own, and for a minute we stood there linked by our entwined grasp.

"We're not alone, are we?" I whispered.

The blasting static was my answer. His hand dropped mine and I used my newly freed grip to pull the utility knife clipped on the inside of my jeans out.

I figured this was just about any time to regain face in my recent bouts of confusing fragility. I was a hunter first and foremost, and as much as I relied on Hageshii, we were always on our own.

"Konbanwa."

Not the greeting I accepted, and a faltering shock, though momentarily lived, still caught me by the off-hand. Tightening my grip on the knife, I held it parallel to my forearm. It wasn't surprising the shaking in my hands had stopped as soon as the knife settled in their hold. I always found it particularly calming in the presence of my weaponry. But after spending the more recent half of my life looking out for my neck with about ever

Mirroring me, Hageshii had drawn his own weapon of choice. A Sig Sauer's polished handle sparkled in the fireplace's golden glow. His arm rose from holding it at his side, and I followed its trajectory to its fixed point.

"I see. I've startled you. But there's no need for the defense. Let me repeat, 'Good evening.' My name is Karl Heinz, the owner of this property."

"Hage—" Cut off by the sharp look from Hageshii, I let him take the lead.

"The same Karl Heinz who'd be our client?"

"Yes, that'd be I, Hageshii Vayner. My call seems to have come through just fine. As I'm sure you know first-hand, hunters and vampires have had their history of differences."

Grunting, Hageshii's finger slipped from trigger guard to trigger. My eyes darted back just as Karl Heinz laughed. The sound was frighteningly warm; an emotion I wasn't sure a vampire could ever convey. But if it was real, then it'd be a first.

His laughter died down, yet the sound of its mirth still coloured his next words. "Ah! You're astute, aren't you, Mr. Vayner. Just as I expected. A fine hunter in the definition of the word. That being said, I won't have to remind you that there's no point in drawing a weapon at me," here he paused, the silence particularly effective when he added more glibly, "at least for now. I'm sure you'll have plenty of time later to join the rest who want to kill me."

My mind reeled with the realization. I hadn't sensed anything-well actually that was a lie, I was having a sensory overload. My chest hurt, and I knew it now to be my body's reaction to Karl Heinz's presence. And I also now knew the scary truth: this powerful vampire had been watching us all along. His invitation for death at Hageshii's hand was so casual, I felt the handle of the blade slide under my sweaty palm.

The idea of fear was preposterous. Hunters didn't feel fear, not in front of their sworn enemies.

"That goes for you as well, Takane-san. Your bullets and blade are useless today. I'd prefer their trajectory, for the moment, to be directed at those who injury me."

Karl Heinz, for all his magnanimous aura, was nowhere in the room. His voice pulsed from a black box imperceptibly wedged in a glass vase filled with fresh roses sitting at the edge of the desk. I'd overlooked them, fearing allergies might spark if I decided to stop and 'sniff the roses' as they say.

Despite what he said, I wasn't prepared to loosen my handle on the only thing between me and my possible death. It was irrational perhaps, but there was no way I'd roll over to a vampire who was too cowardly to show his face.

Maybe this Karl Heinz isn't as strong as you think, my thoughts nudged.

"Your wariness is understandable, hunters. Keep your vigilance. My security was a simple test. The real feat is at the end of this conversation."

"No one's agreed to anything yet." As he said this, he clicked the safety in place and tucked away the gun at the back of his belt. I turned to him, my eyes bugged out and my mouth flapped open. I wouldn't question his choice, and though I didn't follow his lead, I found my hand lowering its guard.

"Of course. I will provide my explanation, and you'll be free to make your decision accordingly. Think not I lack more than one source of aid, Mr. Vayner."

Hageshii crossed his arms, his head lowering just so to pronounce that glowering of his. "Five minutes should be just fine then. We have places to be, Heinz."

I tried not to roll my eyes, exasperated by their little head-to-head. What was it with men and their crazy ass testerone even when they weren't technically in the same room together they managed to beat their inflated chest like idiots?

"Five minutes will be more than enough. Your decision will not leave this room, however, once you hear what it is I have drawn you so far away from." And without waiting for a chance to allow another interruption from Hageshii, he rallied on, "I am a wealthy man." This earned an audible scoff from the dhampir currently boring holes into the microphone latched on the step of the flora. "And my fair share of wealth has drawn both friends and foes alike."

"Your wealth as opposed to your status? Why do I find that so hard to believe?"

Hageshii's question was taken in stride as our would-be client picked up as if the younger man hadn't spoken at all. "Unlike the terribly short-lived, but long line of Vampire Kings before I, my rulership has been fairly, what would you call it, genteel. Particularly in these modern times-the twenty-first century has so much to offer. Though it's far from perfection… And a meager illusory utopia at best, we vampires have adapted as well to the change despite our ageless bodies.

Part of that adaption included finding more humane ways to feed. As the humans advance technologically, the gap between our two worlds threatened to be closed and we needed to find a way to preserve our secrets. Or should I say, I was required to find a way to preserve our very lives."

There was a soft crackling of static as he affected a put-upon sigh. "And so I did, with much difficulty, my years of research and refinement have led me down both the paths of failure and success. In light of the events, I will focus on the most antecedent of these successes, an efficient source of blood without the residual mess of hunting."

"Is that possible?" I asked before I could stop the thought. The knife had dropped to stomach-level, raising a bit from the shock at my verbal infraction.

Although I wouldn't ever vocalize my theory, I was sure Karl Heinz was smiling when he replied, "Yes. Yes it is, Takane-san."

I tried to focus on willing away the chills conjured by the idea of what he might look like. Wherever he was…

"Europe, I'm aware, is unlike Japan. But here my council and I have taken painfully careful measures to control what is ours. Multi-purpose safe houses where all needs can be met, even for our much-too elusive communal members…" He trailed off deliberately, and at the grumbling reply from Hageshii, I knew who Karl Heinz had been suggesting when he'd said 'elusive communal member'.

"It's unfortunate I couldn't be there to greet you myself for I would have much liked to meet a Halfling. Such an existence is celebratory truly. But my schedule has seemed to opt another route this time around."

"These safe houses your problem? Done playing a game and realizing restraint isn't part of a vampire's nature? And now you have a big bloody mess to clean up and you don't care to soil your hands, is that it? Because your five minutes are just about up." Hageshii all but spat, his fangs making a reappearance as his lips pulled back to reveal the grinding, unnaturally long canines.

"No mess. These safe houses have been instituted much longer than your young years, Mr. Vayner, and rather than taking my word for it, if you choose to accept my offer you could meter your judgment in person. I can't trust everyone, unfortunately, and even those I've considered in my most inner circles are susceptible to the sway of betrayal. Both money and time have been squandered by such, and I'd like it to stop."

"And you couldn't do this yourself because?" Hageshii asked, his tone proposed his anger hadn't dissipated. But he vocalized what I'd been thinking. If Karl Heinz was, indeed, as powerful as the aura suffocating me hinted, than it didn't make much sense for our being there. Unless it was really as Hageshii had said, a set-up of sorts.

…or the problem was bigger than this Karl Heinz let on.

"Would it suffice to state my full schedule? Perhaps explain the fear of misplacing accusation holds my hand still from acting on its volition. You see I'm embarrassed to present scant evidence for the charges I'd like to place."

"Sounds like politics."

"Well yes, though specifically vampire politics. Right now what I need more than blood is a pair or two of ears and eyes where my presence would give immunity to my shrouded villains."

Thus far I had mostly quietly followed their conversation, keeping my opinions at bay. But I used the silence between them to pick up where Hageshii had left off with my own form of drilling.

"So? Are we supposed to go undercover or something?"

A crackle, then a renewed wave of power sparked through me; the heat fuming my nose, drying out my throat and eyes on contact.

"Yes." Karl Heinz said. "And in whatsoever desired form of payment I will recompense any services rendered."

"And our target?" I asked.

"All pertinent information will be handled to your temporary addresses. I do believe my five minutes have knelled."

Hageshii had looked deep in thought, no doubt working every negative angle to Karl Heinz's story when I'd spoken he jolted to awareness. I turned to him and then dragged my eyes towards the door, body shifting around to the direction of the most-sought exit. "Let's do it." I said, but I was no longer sure if that was my voice. It had come out entirely hollow, much like an automated message programmed to the cue of its master's design.

I coughed, the dry wallop breaking through Hageshii's growl.

"You seemed to have already made our decision." He snapped, although I wasn't sure who he was referring to.

Karl Heinz, however, replied to anger that might have been directed at me. "No choices are created alone, Mr. Vayner. Nevertheless, let me extend my gratitude for giving me such well-equipped assistance."

Instead of answering him, Hageshii whipped towards me. I allowed the exchange of support from shelf to my partner's welcome arm around my waist, anything to get me out of that room.

No parting words floated after us, in fact, the crackling had stopped all together and the powerful ventilation circling the room diminished; its oppressive form relinquishing at our clear break into the hallway.

Greeting us there were a similar bunch of guards, all familiarly garbed in black from head-to-toe. Once more we were surrounded. If I wasn't so tired, I might have tried to guess whether they were the same unfortunate men from earlier. But I was preoccupied with staying awake and forcing one foot in front of the other, only more relieved by Hageshii's protective strength taking up the remaining slack.

Especially for what was to come.

Karl Heinz…

An unforgettable name for a faceless man, it suited him well I decided.

The constant chest ache had loosened, and I was almost feeling back to normal as the door closed behind us. After feeling the urge to leave throughout my stay, on the steps I felt an inexplicable keening that kept me rooted to the stone walkway, neck craning backwards at the still, and seemingly lifeless household. Almost as if we hadn't been there at all.

"Let me carry you." Hageshii's proposal roused me from my reverie.

"No. I'm fine." I said, readying a smile to ward off any possible irritation. I yawned. Leaning against him and closing my eyes, his body tensed to what I assumed was my unexpected action. "But maybe just this once though." No sooner had I whispered my acceptance were my sneakers skidding through the starless night sky.

My head found his shoulder, fatigue rendering me incapable of much other than the primitive need to seek his heartwarming strength.

Something told me I'd need a lot of his strength through to the rest of this mission.


	4. Chapter 3

** x**** Chapter Three x**

Alleys, graveyards, creepy haven't-seen-a-good-dust-lately attics—these were the typical places vampires were, and where I'd be especially if I were PMSing like I was right then.

A public library was not.

Yet a bookshelf away, one of the night denizens was browsing the array of books as if he was eyeing a lineup of humans to pick for dinner. I shuddered at my choice of vivid imagery.

I'd been in mid-high reach on a step stool when I spotted him. Nearly losing my footing, I'd been busy barely saving myself and my book from an unscheduled meeting with the ground, and in the glow of my relief, I finally noticed his disappearance.

Fear and uncertainty rooted me to my spot. I looked up and down the long, empty aisles for flashes of his sunny blonde hair and the black blazer he'd been wearing.

When it came to a point where I had to unfreeze and move to the end of the aisle, I reverted to full hunter mode. Crouching low, I flanked the thick, 700-page dictionary to my side in much the same way I'd hold a knife and stalked forward to the break of the shelves from one section of books to the next.

It went on like this, as I passed through row after row of evenly-spaced shelves searching for my prey. After clearing the whole second floor twice, I was prompted to call it a night as the speakers of the building buzzed to notify the library was closing. On the lonely and uneventful ride down I chalked it up to my imagination.

I mean vampires and library? Clearly I'm hunt-deprived.

And I was. My last good tumble was nearly two weeks ago, and my fingers just itched with the withdrawal of the battle-high so often the reason I got through, what would have otherwise been, a horrific deed.

On the main floor, I lined up with the rest of the last check-outs and had just resigned myself to absentmindedly flipping through the contents of the book in my hand when the line moved, and as I looked up to avoid unnecessary contact with the person in front of me, my eyes flitted to the queue over and rested on a black blazer and bright blonde hair.

Shocked, I almost forgot where I was and had to be so rudely reminded by a tired-looking student behind me. I let him pass with a half-bow, refusing to look away from the vampire in case he decided he wanted to chew on the neck of the poor simpletons standing so close to him.

Absorbed by my self-appointed task, a throat clearing to my immediate side re-shifted my glare. Irritation and, what I could only imagine to be the colouring in my face, ebbed to a fast flow.

Although he appeared entirely normal, dressed in what I was beginning to figure was some sort of matching school uniform blazer and dress pants, I knew the vampire for what he was.

At first I wasn't sure if I was seeing a double, but a surreptitious wayward eye shift over confirmed the initial vampire was still standing stoically between two unsuspecting humans.

Thankfully my recovery was quick, and I brushed off the surprise by dropping my head and stepping aside. This second vampire passed by me without so much as a lingering glance, and I took this as a sign that he'd sensed nothing out of the ordinary, and definitely no immediate danger on his life to consider me further.

Turning around immediately, I glued my eyes onto his back, not yet entirely out of my element to call for back up. Instead I clutched my book tightly and concentrated on this new arrival.

Black hair shimmered under the glare of the warm overhead lighting; less a hallmark than the blonde but equally alluring in that its colour rivaled the darkest night. But that's all I was going to get from the back.

The line moved. Years of training worked against me as my foot stepped over the waiting line in reaction to the vampire settling across the counter of the human librarian. Hunters were sworn in to protect humanity, and right now it was difficult to tell if anyone was under threat. Nothing transpired, however, and instead in a manner so un-vampirelike, the black-haired man replaced his library card in his wallet and collected his borrowed books.

Then it was my turn. Spaced out didn't capture what I was doing as I waited for the librarian to sign me out. While filling out some forms for a library card, I spared as much glances over to where the first vampire. The second one had moved towards the entrance, his spectacled, red-eyed gaze perusing the passersby with a look I could so easily misconstrue as fascinated hunger.

The multi-tasking was draining, and I almost regretted the process of borrowing from the library. And I wasn't the only one who seemed entirely fatigued by the copious pace of the staff.

A loud sigh pulled a look over my shoulder.

Behind me in the same position as I was in the parallel counter, the blonde one had come to life.

Frustration marred what had just been the relaxed nature of his brows. He had pulled one ear bud out while addressing the older man behind the counter. His mouth moved in only a way I could describe as being predictable. I could imagine how whatever he was saying to the flustered librarian had been chosen carefully.

I continued to stare openly until blue eyes flitted around and locked on mine.

Uh oh.

I turned away, affecting a casual glance around despite wondering if he could hear my heart from where he stood.

Handsome wasn't the right word, not to define the stunning compilation of his features full-on. He was, hands down, a sexy, sexy man.

And apparently a pissed off one, too.

The irritation that had been so palpable even from my distance both surprised and frightened me. Gathering my newly-borrowed book, I moved towards the library front where I found the blonde vampire was now trailing his black-haired counterpart an arm's length away.

I had no plan, but a myriad of scenarios popped into my head on the short trek to the library's exit. Most centered on my striking out, luring them into a battle, but there was no way I could that there in front of humans. Hunting law kept strict reservations on layman knowledge of the existence of vampires. The thought alone of human media feeding on the frenzy of a discovery of the supernatural would blow centuries of hunting tradition, and I wasn't prepared to do the blowing.

Yet I felt disconcerted by letting them just walk away. So this was what prompted me to decide to follow them for as long as I could. Or at least this is what I intended to do when I felt a blur pass by me. The hard-bodied contact pushed me, succeeding in knocking the book out of my arms and jangling my purse down from its hold on my shoulder to the floor, where I managed to hold onto it by its strap.

"Ne. Daijoubu desu ka?"

Millimeters from my ear it seemed, the whisper washed down over my skin and I yelped and stumbled from the source. The purple-haired young man grimaced, violet eyes widening above tired and bruised flesh. It took me a little longer to see he was holding something. A teddy bear dangled from the crook of his arms, which left me more speechless than the second, more crucial fact: his fangs were out and they were working his lower lip in a worrisome fashion.

Of all three of them, he was the one who appeared most like Hollywood's distinction of a vampire. Unusually pale, he looked both insatiably tired and hungry.

"Urusai da yo. Sonna oogoe hanasu na."

My Japanese was particularly good, but sometimes speed and dialect evaded me, so I was left blinkingly piecing together what I could catch from his comment. It took another few seconds to conclude none of it was pleasant.

Anger trickled through me. Before I could do much to verbalize the rage, he stooped down to pick up my book. "Dozo."

Accepting his gesture, I was hardly placated but he was already moving away. Having joined the other two, he walked alongside the tall blonde in a similarly silent fashion.

My foot had just brushed the exit threshold between two metal detectors when their alarm rang sharply; the noise successfully halting my hurried pace and forcing me to wait on the library staff member who rushed over.

I knew by the time I convinced my accusers I hadn't in fact stolen anything from the library, the mysterious trio would be long gone. And sure enough, I stepped out into the early, chilly night without as much as a hint to remember their ever having existed.


	5. Chapter 4

**x**** Chapter Four x**

"So he said, 'I'm trying to watch my weight', and I'm like, 'Well, you probably want some plasma. Don't worry. I got your blood light.' Ha ha, get it? Blood light?"

A wallop of laughter followed, careening off the padded walls of the soundproof room. Of course the way soundproofing worked required me to be outside of the room, and unfortunately, there was the duty of five drinks to serve.

I'd never wiped down a table fast enough, but any more jokes from the slick-haired vampire hacking it up in the center of the booth might have killed me.

It should have helped that I wasn't alone. There were four other women in the spacious chamber, and unlike myself, the human female entertainment seemed to be taking to their jobs quite seriously. Their hands ran across each other as they reached out to grasp the cackling male, their gleaming white smiles poised unnaturally on their powdered faces.

"Oh that's so funny! Tell us more, please." One said, the others joining in with identical interested sighs.

'Okay, okay. If you insist," he said, almost making it sound like a chore. I tried not to chatter my teeth with all my angry grinding while I placed down the elegantly-patterned coasters, one for each champagne flute.

"How 'bout we make this one a game? Which one of you ladies want to make a quick 10000?"

Once his audience's reactive approving chorus died down, he stretched his arms over the back of the large couch, cocooning those eager, pretty faces closer. "So I got myself a dog recently. Damn cute thing, hella ugly though. He's got nothing on you, women. I'll give 10000 to the first one of you who guess what kinda dog he is? You know, what'd they call it, his breed?"

The process of guesswork lasted just as I begun placing the last glass down. No winners yet, and when it drawled to an eventual silence, he said, "All good guesses, but you're also all dead wrong. Anyone else?" The drawl was a direct invitation for my input, but I gave him a deadpan look that spoke the volume of my irritation, or at least I hoped it did.

"A bloodhound. Get it? If anyone asks me, I thought it was a pretty fuckin' logical choice." He laughed, running a palm through gel-stiffened hair.

On the topic of hair, I happened to contemplate tearing my own out right then. There was the pain to deal with, but that's what'd happen if I had to stand around and listen to one more vampire joke.

I thought I could wipe fast—I had to swallow my words as I served the drinks faster. In record time I was out of the room, down the hall and taking the last flight of stairs to the main floor. The silver tray I'd been carrying digging into my chest from my tight, angry hold.

"Seriously? Blood light? Bloodhound? Maybe prostituting destroyed your sense of humour—"

"How many times do I have to tell you? Here at Red Eclipse we prefer the term, 'striptease artist'."

I skipped a step in my alarm, hands clasping the serving tray in such a way that no longer made it a harmless object, and rather a makeshift weapon against my enemy.

But once I'd placed the silky voice to who should have now been a familiar face, I relaxed the ravenous hunter instinct. On her part the vampire female smiled, not sure just how close she knew she was to death. Or at the least, serious injury.

"Um, yeah?" I asked. Straightening the tension from my shoulders, I replaced my steady grip over the tray back to my chest.

She clucked, shaking her head. One long blonde strand slipping loose from its resting place behind her ear on her nearing where I stood. She halted her towering frame a few inches from me, her arms crossing over her large breasts hinted at her displeasure. "Your manners really are appalling. What would our clientele think if they had heard you walking around addressing the entertainment as common…prostitutes?"

I shrugged. "Sorry."

"Apology accepted. A slip of tongue here and there is expected. Understandably more so where you're concerned…" And before the insinuation of her comment sunk in, she plied on, "By-the-way I've been looking all over for you. There's a stack of dishes with your name on them."

"Since when did I apply to be the dishwasher?" I exclaimed, forgetting my precarious role until her fangs popped out with another of those half-smiles.

"I wasn't sure what role you played here. But I'm sure if we were to look over your application, we might see you checked off miscellaneous under the category of preferred job." She said.

It was a combination of recalling why I was here and the truth that I had requested to fill any available staffer position that kept my mouth shut on all the not-so-friendly interjections clamouring to snap out.

Adding to that, it also helped that Wakahisa Etsuko was not a woman to be taken lightly, nor a vampire to underestimate. But then she was the co-owner of everything around us and more importantly that made her my boss.

She was tall and thin everywhere else when overlooking her large chest, and particularly everything that proclaimed her to be the perfect victim in any hunter's eyes. If said hunter was a novice, who killed for pleasure and knew nothing about the dangers of prejudgment when it came to vampires.

I shuddered at the thought. Hunters who lost themselves in such a way were as dangerous as the fanged monsters they supposedly hunt. Killing for the sake of killing was the real monstrous act, and so long as I hadn't witnessed Etsuko harming another then she was off-limits from my point of view.

Besides, she could be nice when she wanted to be.

Like after we'd reached the kitchen where I allowed her to lead me through to the back of the building to an industrial-sized sink full of various kitchenware, she handed me the hose-like pull-out faucet. "A simple spray down should be just fine." She said.

The implication was clear, and over the blasé I knew it was the closest form of a nicety I was going to get from her.

It was also what got me through the next half hour without much complaint. By the time I twisted the faucet closed, the front of my shirt was drenched and my hands and arms ached from overuse.

Having left me alone with the meandering task, Etsuko breezed into the kitchen once again doling yet another duty. "All finished here? Then I'd like you to help out on the floor. We're short staffed apparently."

Too tired to complain, I wordlessly made to move towards the exit to acquiesce to her command, halting when a blur wriggled past me. With her inhuman speed, she teleported straight in my path, voluptuous shadow darkening my form as she leaned into my personal space. "Not looking like that, however." She said. One long, lime green-lacquered nail flitted out to point at the crinkled, soggy state of my wardrobe. "Best change first."

I tried to take my time changing, prolonging the inevitable but it wasn't long before my heels skittered onto the waxed flooring of the entrance space. Tables illuminated by candlelight glowed in the darkness, and any forms of electrical lighting were dimmed in an appearance to suit the theme of the club, although I knew well enough the called-for darkness was due to the sensitive eyesight of many a vampire patron.

And that didn't work to the rest of us few humans who had to wobble through the dimness on platforms two inches too damn high.

Bad enough it was hard to see the menu, there was no protection from the occasional behind-squeezing grasping. Of course whenever I got the chance, I whacked the pervert who attempted to cop a feel in my vulnerable state.

This was just yet another moment where I would give about anything to get out of there; the irony being what I had done to be here to start with.

Fifteen days, eighteen hours and three grueling interviews later, I had three days of ten-hour shifts under my studded belt. The mortifying part was it was my first actual job. That is if I didn't count the whole hunting thing.

Still I was relieved when I was pulled away from a group of lecherous older vampires by a familiar voice.

"Heads up. Trouble coming your way." My earpiece buzzed with Hageshii's warning. Connected to a lapel microphone hooked at the dip of my sleeveless tank top, the tiny mic was virtually undetectable. From here on out we'd strapped ourselves for a battle we weren't exactly sure we'd ever fight. Though it was nice to remember here and then why I was squeezing myself into a sequined halter that was more a second skin and ridiculously thigh-baring washed-out denim cut-offs that might as well be underwear. At this point any news was good news.

Even when the news was foreboding as it was then.

"And does this trouble have a face?" I whispered back, surreptitiously ducking beneath the cover of picking up a dropped cloth.

"Actually, yes. That'd be three faces to be exact."

Three?

I was in the middle of the first floor, closer to the stage and the main seating area. For once I was thankful for the added height the pinching platforms provided as I looked towards where I knew the entrance was, although in the dark I wasn't really bound to see much of anything.

The immediate secondary option was to get up close, personal and seriously uncomfortable. But more in my element, I decided, even in the heels.

Pitcher in hand, I rounded the tables filling more glasses, sloshing my way further to the tables nearer the entrance. Time wasn't entirely with me as when I managed to fill the last glass without having spotted Hageshii's mystery trio.

A touch at my elbow spun me around. The face of my curly-haired serving companion beamed back at me. "Hey! I just came back from break! Thanks for holding it down out here. Lord knows I needed my half hour!" She hollered over the music.

'No problem!" I nodded back, all too relieved to hand her the menu and pitcher.

'Oh! I think the kitchen was whipping up some special orders for upstairs!"

There were orders upstairs, I noted once returning to the kitchen. It would also be a perfect ruse to search for the three guests that had alerted Hageshii enough for him to call me.

I glanced at the sticky notes tapped to the stainless steel shelves above an array of dishes and drinks. Arranging the requests in an appetizing presentation on the more silver trays, I made the four rounds up and down the stairs.

On the last of my completed runs, I decided to take an unscheduled break in one of the empty upper lofts. The decision came after I was all but beckoned to the comfortable-looking red plush couch. My heels pinched and I was nearly close to collapsing from the fatigue of a cycle of stairs in shoes that already threatened to kill me by just wearing them. Besides it was a great way to alleviate the dismay that came along with not running into anyone on my manhunt.

Five minutes couldn't kill me, could it?

So with that quick self-promise of a short-timed rest lured me down onto the chair.

Spreading myself out on a chaise longue, I stretched into a cat nap that might have lasted much longer had I not been so rudely interrupted.

Giggling pulled my eyes apart and I sat up just as a couple breezed into the room. They seemed so absorbed in what they were intending to do, I feared seeing more of what I wanted and so I rustled to a stand. My actions alerted the male first. No different from the usual bunch of young vampires I've seen, yet I was entirely allured by him.

Spring green eyes widened a fraction and then narrowed to mischievous slits when coupled with the grin spreading his mouth.

"Guess it isn't empty, then?"

In response, the intoxicated human female clinging to his side laughingly shrugged. "My bad. Though I could have sworn this room was unreserved." To emphasize her point, she dangled a pair of keys similar to the ones I'd used to get into the room. We kept two copies on the floor. One was usually provided to the clients who booked these private upper rooms. The other was used in case of emergency. And although I didn't know what constituted an emergency, I presumed it could be something along the lines of a vampire trying to eat the human entertainment.

"Oi. You gonna leave anytime soon." He said rudely, past the heart-pounding boyish smirk and the particularly sharp fangs.

I tried to concentrate on something other than the immediate attraction I felt for this creature. Like how his piss-poor attitude had dampened some of the corporeal effect.

"Shitsurei shimasu." I sniffed, stiffening at his casual perusal of me from head-to-toe. When those green orbs lingered on my chest, I had to force myself to walk slowly towards the door, even if I wanted to run.

Outside I fumed. I felt defeated. Nothing had said it was a battle, nevertheless he had won. I was forced from my relaxed position, pushed into work while this annoying vampire guy screwed his brains out.

Grumbling to myself, I trudged down the hall, resigning myself to returning to work. I was heading for the long staircase back down to the first floor when I spotted something at the corner of my eye.

Pausing mid-step, I backtracked to the slightly ajar door. Unusual as all the door on the floor were kept locked, unless otherwise occupied by a client or one of us were doing regular cleaning rounds.

And though I could have dismissed it easily, something pulled me towards the door. My palm spread over the cool surface and I pushed gently, not getting past the entrance. Someone was inside. Figuring it was a client, I made to turn away, but something held me there.

Those second-floor booths were specifically tailored for a party of guests, yet he occupied the area alone. His clothing and body angle aside, I couldn't see much more of him apart from flashes of pale flesh and even whiter hair. The snow-on-snow presentation was an ethereal combination, and it alone held my attention for much longer than I pleased. I wavered at the threshold wanting to enter and see this lonesome figure for myself.

"Whatcha lookin' at?"

Jumping back from the heated inquiry pressed against the shell of my ear, my hand instinctively flew to cup my affected flesh as I spun around to face my intruder.

"Yo." The red-haired man from earlier grinned his greeting, showing no signs of the fluttering feeling coursing through my own body. I wondered how people like him could so easily affect others, yet show no signs of their own emotions.

Something told me he would get nothing but ultimate satisfaction of seeing me squirm under him. I wasn't about to become fuel for any ulterior motive.

Straightening up, I dropped my hand from my still-tingling ear and shifted out to the side. Once I appropriated enough distance, I replied. "Nothing."

"Really?" He advanced, matching my steps until we were almost dancing. For every step he took, my own heels scrapped back to keep the, thus far, relatively safe space between us as it was. "Because it sure as hell looked like something. Something fun, perhaps?"

"No." I shook my head. "It was nothing, okay? Could you just stop—"

That was a mistake. His narrowing eyes and barking chuckle confirmed I really had sounded as weak as I did.

"Stop what? Who's done anything…yet." The last word was drawled at the parting of his canines.

Not wanting to be at the other end of those fangs, I decided the best way to end the conversation was to omit myself entirely. Turning around sharply, I rushed down the corridor but all-in-all made it two steps before I dodged a near collision with my fiery-haired torturer. "First tip, ningen, I love it when they run. So you're better off staying still if you want this to end sooner."

Instead of replying, my arm shot out. Propelled by the weight of my body, I connected against his defending forearm. My knuckles cracked against the bone there and continuing the simple move, I maneuvered my other fist to connect to his side.

He caught my other arm; his own wrapping around my waist and pulling me flush against his body. I raised a hand and connected it against his cheek. His head tilted to the side from the meager force; green eyes unwavering in their hold on me.

"Mattaku. You don't know how to give up, do you?"

"You first." I retorted, slapping him again.

"You do know who—what I am, don't you?"

"Cocky much? No, I don't know who you are, vampire." I sneered hoping the acid in my voice masked the slight quiver to its pitch. I was scared. Then again I'd never been that close to a vampire before.

Unless I happened to be pitching one of my stakes deep into their chests.

"Then you know I could kill you quite easily?" To emphasize his point, his fingers dug into my skin. I was sure the pressure would leave notable marks, but I wasn't prepared to let his terrorism break me down. Leveling my gaze, I raised my hand again.

The third slap sang through the air from its force. My hand simultaneously throbbed and itched from the resounding connection. Still I was satisfied I could cause him some pain, even in my more vulnerable position. If he really did plan to go through with his threat and tried to kill me, I want to at least have attempted fighting for my life.

"Tch. You say you know what you're dealing with, but Ore-sama don't think you really do... Let me explain. Are you listening, ningen?"

"Ore-sama?" I sniffed, appalled at his egoism. Knowing enough Japanese etiquette to understand the self-distinction was utterly snobbish of him.

"That's what I said, human. Ore-sama gonna do a big favour for you today." Suddenly with unsurprising force he hauled me forward against him. In this new position I was all too aware my breasts were squashed against his hard chest, the cool buckle of his belt pressed against my navel through my threadbare halter and his mouth had dropped to fill my vision. "A personal lesson from me." He said. I watched those words push out from his lips, accentuated purposely by their owner.

Personal! My mind screeched.

I attempted to push him away. Of course it might have been easier if it wasn't for his preternatural strength. I felt seriously outmatched without my usual weapons, and it was getting harder to swallow the bitter taste of panic as it crawled up my throat.

"Ready?" He cocked his head to one side. What should have been a warm smile translated into an array of images of the nefarious things he most likely had planned for me.

"N-n-no." My teeth chattered over the words. A chill had gripped me from inwards despite the heat of his body warming my own, I was shivering.

The smile on his lips slipped. Gravity weighed his eyes, while his mouth twisted downwards. "All of this has made me real hungry, y'know? Take responsibility. It's your fault, after all."

Then his head fell down to my neck. A scream refused to break free until I felt his cool lips brush the side of my throat. The sound of my loud cry was swallowed by the thrumming beat from the floor beneath. I couldn't imagine anyone could hear us up here. Any clients in those upstairs rooms were happily shut away behind sound barrier walls.

There was no one to stop him from biting me. Drinking from me.

From killing me.

I expected pain. Had closed my eyes because I wanted to dull its effects in any way I could, yet nothing came. Well, nothing that involved his fangs. He chuckled. The laughter was kissed against my skin, its breathy hitches heating the flesh directly under his mouth.

"Not so tough now, are you? Wanna slap me again?" He was goading me, but I really wasn't about to hand him an excuse to get angry and gnaw my throat raw. At this point, I would say anything to have him move away.

My heart knocked a familiar beat in my chest. A ringing pulsed in my ears and it took a little while to realize he was talking.

"Oi. Human. Are you really ready for this Ore-sama? Cuz I'm really gonna do it." He whispered the last part, the threat nearly went over my head. Sucking and more sucking occupied his mouth for a long while. I was also at a loss for words. Let alone capable of forming a coherent under his ministrations.

His tongue had joined the sensual attack. Sharp, coarse strokes laved the crook between my neck and shoulder. "Are you this sweet tasting all over?"

I didn't reply, working my tongue between my teeth to hold back the mewling moans working their way from my voicebox. It was bad enough I had become putty in his hands, I didn't need to hear it confirmed as well. The notion of panting for more was not going to happen.

Not as long as I was alive at least.

"Muri. No one should taste this damn good… Ah. Perhaps you already knew this was going to happen? Is it possible you were expecting this Ore-sama's touch?" He lifted his head, pulling back before asking again, "Hey. I'm going to bite you now."

I didn't know what he wanted me to do. Nod or scream in protest, though I couldn't do either. My body had grown heavy, and any movement was forcibly lethargic while my mouth had long dried out from the shock of his actions.

For a particularly long moment after he stated his intent, a long pause came along with his motionless stare. Green eyes carefully flickered over all parts of my face, looking for an unspoken target, until at last he blinked and they settled down lower where could have sworn the heated stare would burn a hole through my throat.

"Ayato." He said.

I nodded past the haze of fuzzy pleasure, struggling with my response. "W-wha?"

He had already bent down again. His lips touched my skin once, tongue darting out with the surprisingly gentle caress as he said, "It's Ayato. So say my name when I bite you, human." Another slurping lick up my collarbone and the subsequent fastening of his lips in a tight suction freed my lips for the intent of saying just about anything so long as he continued working the magic of that was that spectacular mouth.

A sharp pressure broke through the mush of my mind.

He's going to bite you!

And in that state, I had forgotten about everything else. Fully intending to let him do what he wanted.

Later I'd blame shock and plead insanity for even letting him get that close. But right then I owed the unexpected interruption from behind.

"Oh my God! So this is why you left me?"

Ayato moved away, holding me back to lift his head up a fraction to address the shrill female at my back. "Thought I told you to stay put."

"Well excuse me! But I'm getting paid by the hour and my hour's up. Unless you plan to fork over another 30000 yen."

Clearly the alcohol was talking or else the dumb girl would never have said what she had.

I feared for her then. Not wanting to idle by while this so-called Ayato massacred her, I wiggled in his hold. Having successfully dragged his attention back to me, I pressed my free palm against his chest and shoved him back.

He didn't budge. "Coulda sworn I told you to stop moving. I'm not done with you yet."

"Too bad." I said. Relieved that I'd found my voice again and afraid I'd lose it all too quickly, I hurriedly added, "Because I'm pretty much done here."

"Ah? But I'm not..." He snarled, flattening our bodies together once more. That soft red hair of his tickled my shoulder as his mouth slanted in a parallel position against my throat.

"Please!" I yelled over my hoarse vocal chords. Not recognizing the tone for what it was. His malicious-sounding laughter roiled over me.

"So now you're screaming. Tch." I felt the familiar soft touch of his mouth and then he straightened. I fell from his grasp abruptly as he pulled his arms and hands away.

Immediately basking in my freedom, I scurried back until I came into contact with a hard object. Warm, moving, and yielding pressure nudged my back.

"Hey, watch it! Man-stealer!" The squealing protest nearly broke my ear drums.

I stepped to the side, head pivoting to study the petite woman beside me. She was the same girl from earlier; the one that'd been clinging to Ayato. She huffed, glaring at me through her frizz of magenta-coloured hair. She flipped that hair now.

The ludicrousness of the situation nearly blindsided me. I switched my head in Ayato's direction just as he began closing in on us. I imagined us as two birds, easily disposable to the red-headed vulture approaching us. Yet I wouldn't be surprised to find my stubborn co worker wouldn't agree with me. I almost envied her drunken ignorance.

Falling into a half-assed crouched stance, determination set my jaw as I prepared to protect the both of us.

He quirked an eyebrow whilst another one of those seductively mischievous smiles illuminating his facial features. "Cute. You want to fight? Maa. Good thing Ore-sama likes to chase."

I tried to ignore that invasive ability to paint the most vivid mental pictures. Right now I was battling against one particular image of the blackest satin sheets and the settling of his pale body over mine…

"Hey. What's your name?"

I rapidly blinked, the scandalous frame of our intertwined naked bodies disappearing with his question. "What? Uh, why?"

"Stop askin'. Listen to your superiors, ningen. Unless you'd like this great Ayato-sama to name you…" He snickered.

Weighing the pros and cons quickly, I didn't relax my posture as I replied, "It's Aira." The fake name rolled off my tongue much easier than I predicted. It was per our mission, but I was still relieved Hageshii and I had had the option to choose aliases while we played pretend in Karl Heinz's undercover mission.

If he wanted my name, I'd endure seeing the smarmy satisfaction on his face.

But that was all he's going to get from me.

"Aira, huh? Funny name." Another grin. "You just keep runnin', human."

Not saying anything more, and almost as if he'd completely forgot me, he walked past. He began talking to his initial arm candy. "Hey. Come here. I'm still hungry."

Ever the crazy admirer, I heard her giggle a breathy "Yes". It was amazing how easily her anger had diminished. Instead of turning around, I continued to face away while I confirmed their receding steps and the sound of a door closing further down the hall.

I looked over my shoulder then, past the shroud of red wig hair. The elastic I'd kept banded around my hair had broken at some point, most likely when Ayato had been holding me. Tickling my cheek and nose, I brushed it aside. Pushing it over my shoulder, I forced my gaze in front to ensure I didn't trip while I rushed away.

Taking the steps two at a time in my heels, I might have stopped to admire the impressive feat had my anxiety not been busy choking me after a certain near-death experience.

Over the softly warbled music, my heart slowed from its prolonged rapid tempo. The song was familiar, and so was its singer. I followed its attractive calming effect down the rest of the steps to the far corner of the main floor.

The group sitting at the table nearest where I stood stirred from their laughter and though the dark obscured much of their leering, I felt the pressure of their glances.

Ignoring them, I focused on the woman commanding the stage. Under the gold glow of a set of spotlights she clasped the microphone stand, dipping low for the ogling audience in front as she closed the final stanza into the song's culminating chorus.

Anyone who could sing Billie Holiday without butchering any notes earned my undying respect.

For the sun to rot…for the tree…to drop,

Here is a strange and bitter…crop.

At some point my hand had lifted and fell over the spot where he'd touched, licked and sucked; fingers running along the skin in a search for any telltale holes reversing his statement. But coming up with nothing, I acquiesced to his honesty. So he wasn't lying. He really hadn't bitten me…

But he'd done enough to leave a long-lasting impression of him on my mind, and that was bad enough. Every flicker of the candlelight decorating table tops seemed to glow green to the exact shade of his eyes.

A while passed before I stirred, finally realizing the song had ended and the sweet-voiced singer long departed and replaced by a troupe of sashaying dancers producing a rendition of a sultry can-can.

Weak-kneed, I walked towards the back of the building. I wanted to be alone, so I moved to the only place I knew I could get some modicum of peace.

The change room was shared between all staff. Divided by a large, sound barrier the men had their own space while the women shared the large lounge area I entered. Clothing racks were stacked on the coffee table at the center partially covered by fashion and various culture magazines which in turn were impromptu coasters for colourful martini glasses, dainty tea cups and assorted candy bar wrappers.

The first thing I did was kick off my heels, barely navigating the trajectory of their landing at the ornately-carved feet of one of two club chairs. I continued past towards the mirror.

Covering wall-to-wall lengthwise the studio mirror was convenient at the start of the work day where forty-plus girls happened to all be vying for a great spot to put on their faces for the night.

Servers weren't omitted from presentation either. However rather than fighting for a limited spot in front of the panel of brilliant reflective surface, I planted myself in front of the grimy cabinet mirror in the small bathroom of a shared apartment I'd temporarily called home for the past few weeks.

In fact this was the first time I'd seen my reflected surface there. And that's why I knew what I saw was not some distorted rehash, but that I really did look as haggard and run-ragged as I felt.

Weak.

I looked fragile. My skin had grown exceptionally pale under the light brush of makeup I'd put on earlier that night with the greatest effort. The wig I wore itched, tugging at my roots and squeezing my head in its artificial mesh. My colourless complexion was exaggerated by the artificial red hair flaring around my face, the wig a matching colour set with my bloodshot eyes.

Giving in to the sudden urge to rip it off, I slapped it down on the long table board. Freed from my head it flopped lifelessly there, clinging to the edge of the countertop like a crimson spider.

I ran both my hands through the tangled, yet-brushed nest that was my hair. Short black flyaway strands poked out in every which direction and while some complied to be flattened, others rebelled against the hair brush.

Huffing, I was just contemplating my defeat when I first saw him in the reflection of the mirror. First a shadow in my periphery, I ascertained quickly that he was definitely no specter.

Having whirled around so quickly, my vertigo responded with a vengeance I didn't appreciate at that moment. Anything that let my guard down right then was problematic.

Soft laughter came from his propped form. Leaning against the closed door, his shoulders rose and fell with the chuckling. A fedora covered his upper face, blocking his eyes and much of his nose. His mouth was very clear in my sights though, especially as he spoke,

"There. Doesn't that feel better?" He asked.

"How did you get in here? This is a staff only area." I said, avoiding his question. I wanted to point out that the room also happened to be female-designated as per the explicit sign on the other side of the entrance, but something told me he knew exactly where he was and what he was doing.

Gee. What gave you that idea, Einstein? My thoughts mocked.

"You looked better without it anyways. Red doesn't suit you at all." He lifted his head, a familiar set of green eyes bored through me. "Hai. Definitely sexier without."

Ayato.

I shivered despite myself. Shocked by the sight of those eyes, I stumbled back. Instinctively gripping the counter below the mirror, I replaced my grip as I moved down to bridge a further gap between us.

It was shocking he had followed me, but then again I wasn't surprised by his change of heart. No. What had been surprising was the fact he let me go to start with…

"Oh! Don't be scared. It's unsightly to see such fear on a beautiful face. It makes you look so…ugly." He said. Pushing off the door, he uncrossed his arms and straightened to his full height. Gripping the edge of his turquoise sweater, he pulled it apart to reveal a well-fitted white tank. Black harem pants hugged his hips, flaring out to taper off halfway around his toned calves.

That's when I realized something was off. When had he changed?

"Mhm. See something you like?"

I frowned, gaze flickering to his face. "Not really. Do you mind? Customers don't belong here—"

"Oh? Really?" He asked, shifting his eyes away to dramatically search the room. "It seems so. But then again…shouldn't customers always have a say? Don't you want to listen to what I have to say?"

"No."

He smiled. It was a slow, sultry upturn of his bow-shaped lips. He had closed his eyes then, inhaling deeply. "Hai. Yes, I do believe I've entered a most secret domain. The world of many beautiful women…"

My back hit the wall just as I watched him disappear. Vampires could move much faster than the human eye, and no amount of training would give me the ability to predict their moves when they were in such a phase. But I wasn't entirely stupid either. It didn't take a lot of brain cells to make a good guess; just a lot of courage that if I happened to make a mistake, I'd be open to any of his counterattacks.

I made my guess. Reaching to grab the closest something, I swiped at the air in front of me. A resounding thwack and rapidly following groan affirmed that my guess had been very good. Sure enough he had materialized in front of me.

Predictable.

In the midst of gloating I was raising the hair brush I'd just used to hit him with. I swung it again intending to make another successful connection. His strong grip curled around my forearm. Unsurprisingly he'd recovered. I hadn't hit him that hard, but it was sobering to have the odds turn around against me.

Forgetting about any intentions to damage him, I struggled in his grasp. I reeled backwards, digging my bare feet into the cold tiled flooring below.

His hold grew crushingly tighter.

"Well. That was just rude."

"Was it? Let go of me." I pulled my arm back to no avail. As long as he intended to hold onto me…he'd hold on to me. The thought was frightening, and of course, being the dummy that I was, panic had me struggling more.

He blinked. No longer smiling he looked entirely menacing. I wasn't sure whether I imagined the malicious glint in his steely gaze or if it had really only flickered by revealing the potent violence of his vampire nature.

"This is getting old, don't you think?" I snapped.

"You must be mistaking me with somebody." He said. His mouth was even, expression unreadable.

The reply was simple enough, but it was enough for realization to dawn on me. This wasn't the same vampire. This guy was not the one from earlier, the one who'd called himself Ayato.

I did the most sensible thing someone in my position could do. Or the most insensible depending on how you happened to be looking at it. My mouth flapped open, and I just stared at him. My glance swept over his physical features, detecting anything of semblance to the other one.

It was easy because both of them happened to get in my face, standing near enough for my absurdly great memory to bank their handsome visages for possible later reference. My conclusion was immediate: this guy wasn't Ayato.

So who the heck was he? And why did he look so much like him…

It couldn't be a coincidence that they both shared an already unusual shade of green eyes.

"Such an open look... What perverted thoughts could you be thinking?" He asked. His hand had jerked me a step closer, and it now raised me onto my tiptoes.

"Hey! Watch it." Barely able to restrain the bitterness for this new version of me who continued to get herself trapped and teased by not one, but two vampires and in the space of less than half an hour.

I could hear them now, what the Big, Badass Hunting Bosses back at head base would say had they witnessed my recent mishaps. Besides my pride as a junior hunter on the chopping block, there was the matter of my reputation. No doubt I'd go down a notch or two on the totem pole of badassery. At this rate, I'd be lucky to get another mission handed my way.

My face grew hot, eyes watering. I wanted to cry. It would be easy, and I also wanted to kick this guy's ass and that'd be really hard.

Just as it was easy for him to dominate me, push me backwards until I felt the cold brush of the wall behind and place me where I was most pliable for whatever he was concocting under that fedora and in that fiery redhead of his.

"If you don't stop now, I promise I'll make you regret it." I blurted out the first thought that came to mind. And as cheesy as it sounded, I was determined to hold to that promise. I was going to find out what his weakness was, and I'd make him suffer for it if he hurt me. Just like all those other vampires before him.

He had me pinned against the wall, his hands framing my head, forefingers brushing my temples. "Threats? Well. Aren't we feisty?" He laughed, tone oozing condescending mockery.

I dug my stubby fingernails into his forearms to no avail, and his body had crushed my legs to immobility so I had no way to kick my way out of this. Embarrassed to be resorting to a last ditch effort, I screamed.

The effect was instantaneous. His handsome face twisted into sharp angles of pain, mesmerizing green eyes snapping shut and incisors spacing with his groaning. I wriggled along with my screaming, pleased to find his arms were losing their grip as I worked them down the mirror to an angle where I could push them away for good.

But before I could get far, he had seemed to work out his own plan. Surprising me by lifting his hands away, I wasn't left wondering for long when one of his hands clasped my body and the other fell over my mouth.

The force of his falling palm pushed my teeth back against the insides of my cheek. Involuntary tears pricked the corner of my eyes in response, and although I wouldn't admit it, fear started to get some of those waterworks going.

It was rare I felt fear, but this mission had strung me out on a high range of emotions I normally didn't experience, let alone on an average day-to-day basis. So it was a sore understatement of the relief bursting through me with the intrusion at the door.

Whoever was on the other side had first tried the door knob, but it jammed in its lock. So he locked us in here? Shuddering at the thought, I refused to look away from him even though I wanted so badly to watch the efforts behind him.

Two smart raps followed.

He smiled past the icy glare, one finger pressing to his lips in a silent command. The knocking persisted.

At last he sighed, dropping that commanding finger and releasing me. Reveling in his defeat, even if it wasn't at my own hands, I hurried around him towards the door, opening it to my saviour.

Etsuko peered down at me, one sculpted eyebrow raised above her cat-like blue eyes. Then she blinked languidly, her sights settling over my head towards the devilish redhead who'd been torturing me for what had to be the longest five minutes of my life.

"Sakamaki Laito. I should have known you'd be lurking around here. Yokatta ne. Now that brother of yours will stop pestering me for your whereabouts. I don't babysit, as you're well aware."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way, my dear Etsuko." His voice came directly behind me, peering over my shoulder I saw his approach had brought him much too close for comfort yet again.

Dreading a repeat, I opened the door wider for Etsuko to intervene if necessary and moved out of his projected path.

"Aira. Kagami would like to see you. I believe he has something you'll enjoy for the beginning of your services." Etsuko said.

"Okay. I'll go now then." Not needing to be prompted, the only final hurdle I had to leap over was squeezing between my fair-haired boss and this man she'd called Laito.

His lopsided half-smile emblazoned in my mind in the walk from one adjacent hall to another. My destination was the door that was slightly ajar at the far end of the hall. Light spilled out into the dim corridor.

I wavered under its glow, unsure of what actions I should put into motion at that point. Knocking seemed improbable with the door open, yet the other option of just walking in was beyond rude. Even in this wayward country, that was one thing Japan shared in common with Europe.

This hesitation lasted much longer, mostly as I tuned into the noises within. Male voices wafted out. What went from a passive acknowledgement became fully active eavesdropping. I strained to listen, leaning in to piece together the errant phrases.

"…the statement says it all. I do hope you consider our contract once again."

"Are you suggesting I haven't read the documents? I'll assure you I have, and I do have my own questions. For instance, where have the second and third annual quarter gone?"

All the talk of money and the promise of mystery was enough to recall the reason Haegshii. The earpiece of my lapel microphone hadn't buzzed since he'd sent news of those three suspicious clubgoers. And since I'd yet to track his supposedly elusive suspects, I figured wherever this conversation was going might just exacerbate my would-be failure at the close of this night.

"I'm curious to how and where such money might have been used. An advance hardly seems plausible, after all, when the projected investment settle was at least four figures higher than my generosity limit as of late."

There was a lengthy, un-breached pause then, one I'd used efficiently to rest my feet from their tiptoe stretch. The curious quietude gave way to laughter; the merry sound shattered whatever palpable tension suffocated the room. "Relax! You both look way too damn serious. As for the money…"

My attention was pulled away at this crucial moment when the sounds of feminine chatter sprinkled from somewhere in the hall succeeded by the slamming of a door.

Afraid to be caught in a compromising situation, I was forced to think back to my method of approach. To knock or not to knock? Geez, I wish all my decisions were so carefree.

Still choice made, two light raps announced my presence. Hoping it was enough, I waited for the command.

It came quickly along with the sudden pin drop silence within. "Come in."

Light washed over me as I pressed through the crack, opening the door only as far as I needed to slip past.

There were three men in the room, all whom I recognized immediately as they stopped talking and looked in my direction. Unnerving didn't begin to spell out the cold sweat breaking out from having three vampires' rapt attentions, especially when I happened to be weapon-free. They were seated around a small, round table, all smartly dressed in suits.

"Yes? Can I help you?" The man on the far end of the small, round table stood. Wakahisa Kagami was as fearsome as his wife. His long black hair was swept back into its usual ponytail, lying against the lavender dress shirt he wore. The rest of him cleaned up just as nicely, and all together it was the perfect presentation for a man who owned the club as the other partner to Etsuko. Red Eclipse was in good hands between the two of them I figured, not that I particularly cared.

Unlike Etsuko, however, I was still uncomfortable facing Kagami. It didn't help that this happened to be the third time I was talking to him. The other two times happened during the hiring for the job where he handled two of the three interview processes. Frankly, I didn't think I'd ever get used to his impressively quiet force.

"Wakahisa-san sent me." I said.

"Right." He nodded. "Your paycheck." Dropping his eyes to his two other guests, he said, "Excuse me, gentlemen while I assist my employee."

"Take your time, K-san. You know I got all night. Not much too go home to nowadays, if you know what I mean." The slick-haired jokester from earlier tilted his head at me. His suit was now buttoned since our last encounter; even his hair looked freshly gelled and I admitted he cleaned up nicely during our short separation. Though it didn't make him less likeable though.

K-san? Really, that alone reminded me how annoying he could be.

"Is this the new meat then?"

"Phrasing, Inoue-san. I won't have you scaring off my staff again."

Slick-haired Inoue lifted his hands from their position behind his head. He raised them in defence. "Ha, right. How did that work again?"

Kagami sighed. "Not well, if your dim mind would recall. Memory-altering can be so tiresome."

"Yeah, yeah. Tell me about it." Inoue started laughing. He turned back to me again. "So, how's it like working for this guy?"

I shrugged, my eyes flickering to the stoic vampire at the other side. Goose flesh broke out over my skin. Unforgettable red eyes peered over spectacles, assessing me coolly. Over my frightening discovery I heard Inoue prattling on with his one-sided conversation.

"That bad, huh? What's that they say about silence, K-buddy? Something about how it speaks volumes. Ha ha. But seriously, totally understand what you mean, pretty woman. You see I worked with my share of vampires, too. They were a real pain in the neck."

It was comforting to know the joke didn't fall on entirely deaf ears, because I couldn't say much for my eyes right then. As much as I willed my eyes to move off the as-of-yet-named vampire's face, I couldn't. And I wasn't alone in recognizing the staring contest.

"Something the matter?" The question broke whatever spell that possessed me, and at last I was able to look away. Kagami's glance switched between our faces, the intrigue palpable in his expression. "Are you two familiar?" He asked again.

"No." My protest was strained past a tight knot in my throat, but apparently it was clear enough to throw off his scent as he nodded once sharply. Of course it could have easily been overthrown by the black-haired man who continued to drill me with blood-red eyes.

"Ah, Takamori-san. Here's what you've requested then." Kagami had rounded the table. I accepted the plain enveloped check, just about ready to fly out of the room.

Fate had to have shared humour on par with Inoue as it was all that could explain how I ended up running into a familiar chest; familiar because I was pressed against those bare abs barely an hour ago.

Although I hadn't noticed it before Ayato's scent, spice and woodsy, tickled my nose alerting me to the proximity of our bodies. "Hisashiburi na."

Ignoring his misplaced greeting, I stepped back clutching the envelope containing my pay stub to my chest as if somehow it was strong enough to protect me against Mr. Tall, Handsome, and Deadly.

Before I could soak in his presence, movement behind him directed my attention away. "Hello, beautiful. I hope you haven't forgotten me." Laito waggled the tips of his fingers suggestively, throwing in an exaggerated wink.

"A family reunion then." Inoue piped up. Family?

The thought was ludicrous, but the pieces fit together too well to ignore as the situation continued to unfold around me.

I turned around just as no-name vampire stood. He adjusted his spectacles on his nose with that one mysteriously-gloved hand.

"Laito, Ayato. I hope you've finished." He spoke to them, but his eyes had resumed their focused study of me. "Because we're leaving."

"Ah! So soon? I haven't even started the main course." Laito whined over another of those odd smiles. Suggesting he wasn't at all disappointed, at least not as much as he let on.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Ayato flapped his hand in a way that mimicked how one would brush away a fly. "Bossin' us around don't get old does it?"

"Yes, and neither do I." This reply from Mr. Glasses raised a chuckle from all of the vampires in the room. The meaning was imparted, but the context of the joke elicited the opposite reaction, horror.

No, I was too busy placing the last piece of the puzzle.

"So this is how the Sakamaki brothers are managed? Exactly what I expected from you, Reiji."

Proving that he had a name, Reiji sniffed at Inoue's comment.

"I don't manage anyone. I have better things to do with my precious time." Running his hands down the front of his black button-down, he pressed a loose button back into its hole, reordering that immaculate wardrobe of his. "I'll have you send over my copy, Wakahisa-san."

"Of course, Sakamaki-san. As per the usual." Etsuko said. Oddly enough I'd thought he'd been referring to Kagami, yet she had moved out from behind Laito and Ayato to jump into her current activity of clearing the paper-strewn tabletop.

Kagami remained standing, his thumbs forked in the edge of his pant pockets. His head was tilted down slightly, eyes closed in deep thought.

"Jya. Oyasuminasai." Having said his farewell, Reiji had walked forward. The action had him in front of me much too quickly for my liking or any counter response. He stopped, red eyes narrowing an imperceptible fraction.

"Sumimasen." His deep voice washed over me. It was our first address, but as I awkwardly dropped my head and pushed away to the side, my throbbing chest told me it wouldn't be our last. The rhythm of the pain tuned to a well-known pattern I'd experienced thus far only around his brothers. It was the signature of their pattern; a violent welcome every time we were in closeness.

Brothers… So that explains the family resemblance…

As if privy to my inner musings, Ayato smirked, while Laito blew a well-directed kiss. They're identical set of green eyes alit with a similar passion, the heat threatening to burn me alive.

_And if they had their way, they'd do just that, Airi._


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:

Up to that point I'd successfully dodged Hageshii's questions, but like most fire alarms an unscheduled seven o'clock wake up pulled me out of bed.

Outside the firefighters rolled in their trucks, not soon enough in my opinion. I wasn't worried about what I could lose in a potential fire. No, I was more scared I'd freeze to death long before that happened. Shivering in my camisole, I had just begun deriding my choice of nightwear when a clock of warmth fell over me. Apparently one of us had the common sense to dress appropriately.

"Thanks." My acknowledgement was clacked out through chattering teeth. Hageshii's critical gaze swept over me. Crap. That look was usually followed by...

True to my observation, he grunted. "So are you going to tell me what happened or will I be finding out some other way?"

"I don't know what you're babbling about, Vayner."

"Guilty people say stuff like that, you know."

I sniffed throwing my head up high. "Jumping to accusations already. I'd say that's a record even for you. Give it a break—"

A sharp tug yanked the rest of my uncompleted thought away. His hand having fastened around my wrist was being used to twist me around to facing him. His jacket threatened to slip and fall from the action, and I found myself digging my nails into my shoulder to keep it in place.

Being pulled out of bed was bad enough, so the idea of enduring his interrogation in the autumn cold was just unbearable.

Ripping off the jacket, I bundled it up and balled it as hard as I could into his hard chest.

"On second thought, I'm not really all that cold." I gritted out at the detriment of my teeth, at least hoping my tone was as chilly as it sounded to me.

To punctuate my irritation, I walked away and up to the larger group of fellow tenants milling around with idle chatter. And though I stood near them, I continued to remain apart mentally. Proof came when one of older couple inquired about my whereabouts on the apartment. I stammered out a reply a minute too late, and by the exchange of their disapproving looks, I safely assumed I wouldn't be receiving a welcome basket anytime soon.

It was in this antsy state that I silently rejoiced along with everyone at the clear-ahead sign from the local fire department. Rushing ahead of most everyone, I was part of the first crowd angling in line for the elevators.

Back in the quiet comfort of the apartment, I zipped into my room, firmly pushing in the poor excuse of a lock in place. Hageshii would never try to infiltrate my space. On the contrary, he usually seemed all too keen in giving my room a wide berth. And I wanted to assure myself that I could reserve as much distance between us.

All this questioning was really beginning to make me reconsider my decision in coming here. Almost homesick, ne? I smiled bitterly at the thought. Dropping down to my knees, I crawled into the futon, throwing the thick covers over my head.

Sleep didn't come easy, and when I had fallen asleep, I was jerked out of my dreams by a faraway sound of a plane. The predawn that had been illuminating the sky during our early morning wakeup call had turned into bright sunshine. The white rays streamed through the thin curtains, dappling its light over my bedspread.

Officially burying the idea of sleep deep down under my helter-skelter conscious, I kicked off the sheets and began my morning routine.

Before long I was unlocking my bedroom door, padding down the hall to satisfy my grumbling stomach.

I hadn't set a foot in the living room when a gust of frigid air stroked my feet and licked a trail up my bare legs.

"Who left the door open?" I grumbled, tracking the source of morning chill to the slightly ajar balcony exit.

Hageshii was using the railing of the balcony as support, his fingers raising the cigarette end to his lips for another inhale.

I didn't know how dhampir physiology worked, but the vampires I'd met seemed immune to the cold, along with various other things that could, on the other hand, harm and even kill humans.

Clad in only his large t-shirt and jeans still, the coat was slung over the edge of the balcony; the frigid morning wind threatening to lift it off and carry it away with its passing gusts. While I was wondering if he'd even slept at all, acrid cigarette smoke stung my nostrils, immediately working their way into my lungs.

"What the hell are you doing here? You shouldn't be out here and you damn well know that." His growling came along with the directing of his moody glare my way.

I covered my nose with one long, droopy sweater sleeve. He was referring to my asthma—a little cross I had to bear since my first attack at aged eight. Ironically enough a short while before I was inducted into the Hunter's world.

"Relax. A little asthma can't kill you." I joked past my shielding hand. The idea was to loosen the awkward tension, but my attempt seemed only to aggravate the situation.

He sighed heavily, smothering the butt of the cigarette in the ashtray also precariously teetering on the metal railing. A quick glance down at the copper tray revealed he'd had his share of one other similarly snubbed cigarette.

Smoking was his stress reliever, so I could rationally assume something was seriously stressing him out and I had an annoyingly guilty and irksome feeling that I played an important role there.

"Listen. I just came to say sorry. I shouldn't have freaked out on you down there." I rushed out, hating apologies as much as goodbyes. They were so depressing. But I wasn't done yet; one more thing scratched the roof of my mouth. "I mean, I know that you can be a hard ass sometimes," this brought an offended huff from him and a returning grin from me, "but I also know it comes from a good place. You mean well, Vayner, I get that."

At first I was left to quietly stand there, and though I had no doubt that he had heard me, I asked, "Did you hear me? I said 'I'm sorry'."

"Yeah. Sure." He shrugged.

"Is that a 'yeah, sure, I totally forgive you' or 'yeah, sure, just let me alone already'?"

A slow-forming smile was my reply. Forgetting to breathe momentarily, I raised a hand to rub my chest where the raucous drumbeat of my heart was beginning to cause an uncomfortable pressure.

Glad that he wasn't facing me, I was free in this position to study his side profile. Blue eyes looked out over the stretch of the early morning world the same way they'd look at everything else. With Hageshii it was black and white. He was predictable this way, but sometimes I wanted to rattle his view of the universe. Push him into a corner where he'd be forced to let go of his stubborn hold on all his ideals.

I sneezed. It was enough to stir a response from him.

"You better get inside before you die."

"Not until you say we're cool. Err, no pun intended." I smiled sheepishly as he returned the gesture. His smiling face was rare so I knew even before he said, "Fine. You're forgiven. Now can you stop trying to kill yourself please?" Still it was nice hearing it.

"And what if I don't want to go in? Are you planning to force me, Mommy?" I teased.

I didn't think he'd take me up on the challenge, but then he had blurred at my feet, I felt his shoulder push into my stomach. Careened over, I tried to absorb how I'd just been so easily turned into nothing more than a sack of potatoes tossed over his shoulder.

Clasping onto his other shoulder, I yelped my protest. "Cheap shot, Vayner. Fine, but just don't dare drop me."

He laughed. "Don't tempt me."

Like his smiles, his laughter was a precious commodity. In our line of work there was little room to laugh, smile… Little time for a moment like this when we could forget all of the things that weren't smiling and laughing…


	7. Chapter 6

** x Chapter Six x**

Somewhere in the maze of a mansion a clock struck the witching hour. The sound of its chime rolled directionless down the laugh-less halls through the wood of the closed door of his study. In that self-imposed prison, Reiji Sakamaki sighed and rolling back the office chair, he stood for a much-needed stretch.

After five hours of poring through the sheets, calculating six years of financial output and input, and then organizing the found material into neat clusters, he rewarded himself with a break.

And although he wouldn't be able to retire for the rest of the short night yet, he had passed his own expectations in terms of a to-do list.

Another five more hours and he could resume some façade as a freeman. The idea of freedom was ridiculous. His nostrils flared and his hands fisted at his sides. "Freedom is slavery…" He murmured. He'd read that quote from a book from a childhood he could barely remember now, but Reiji continued to use it almost daily, having long adopted it as his own personal motto. Six syllables, three words, a single sentence encompassing his whole life. Pathetic…

No. His brothers were pathetic. All five of them. Part of his role as freelancing, unpaid financial housekeeper included a lot of trips outside the tall, penitentiary iron gates at the foot of the family property. Some of those trips had been positively disgusting, others just on this side of tolerable—but they all had been enlightening in their own way.

As a young boy he had no reason to question the abundant wealth he awoke to every night. Unlike his parents, it had always been there.

And in this way he was no better than his dimwitted, ignorant fools of brothers.

Another sigh pushed past pursed lips.

Frustration came along with the memory of the events at the club. In place of his father and Shuu, he'd willingly applied himself as the temporary manager of the financial situation both in-house and out of house.

This self-promotion having occurred only a long month ago, and already Reiji was surprised by the amount of secrets unveiled from what was otherwise one big house full of shadowy lies.

What hardly compared to that initial shock was the superseding surprise at just how many of his father's trusted investees were squandering away the less-than-immeasurable Sakamaki wealth.

The immediate thought was to contact his father, but then Reiji remembered how difficult that would be. Besides he found this paternal figure was nothing short of a stranger.

Still it wouldn't tide his spirit to leave things as they were. So one-by-one he'd visited establishment after establishment, introductions were made and contacts were revisited, and he left each with the parting of change.

Change, slow but steady, would sweep through the city so long as he continued to breathe. In the dirge of entrepreneurial ventures stacking all four corners of his desk Reiji knew change was inevitably promising.

Red Eclipse had been one of these hopeful businesses. A club catering to the vampire society, the files of its finances were connected with a separate series of interconnected paperwork highlighting the rough sketches for a plan of similar services. It was the well-documented proposal that caught Reiji's eye.

Red Eclipse was the would-be prototype of businesses assembly-lining the good 'ole vampire hunt. Lofty in its future designs, the idea itself was both ambitious and fascinating.

Of course that's where the interest stopped short. The first visit was an eye-opener and rather than the business' promise of "a night well-served", Reiji left with stress-induced stomach cramps.

Red Eclipse was a sham, at least as it stood now in the hands of its two incompetent co-owners. Perhaps the most loathsome of his species

But Reiji was more infuriated by his father's carelessly placed trust in these sub-level vampires. The very creatures who would salivated for the land Reiji looked down over now.

Red eyes flickered back at him in the glossy reflection of the office's bay window. He watched his mirrored doppelganger brush his slipping spectacles back over the more comfortable position at the bridge of his nose.

When he'd arrived they hadn't had what he requested. Three days later at their second appointment, the paperwork was steaming hot from the presses and in his briefcase for the long drive home. Reiji hadn't expected them to come through but Wakahisa Kagami and his lovely and too-often aloof mate, Etsuko had managed to wipe away a smidge of their mired professional reputations.

Of course that had been dismissed when Reiji had flipped through the papers in the comfort of his self-appropriated office.

This is so tiring... Is this really all the information they have? Idiots. His thoughts were comprised of little less, let alone any mirth for that exciting hope Reiji initially felt when unearthing his father's extracurricular hobby.

By the time he'd gotten through the folder they'd prepared, a new night had risen and he was bundling his sleepless-self back into the household limo towards Red Eclipse.

This time under his meticulous supervision they'd managed to present a second, more presentable folder containing everything from their current revenue and the profit to date to the history of their investor relationships, and the future plans for the entertainment enterprise.

A gloved hand ran through inky, purple hair. His eyes drooped close, body sinking into the chair from the invisible weights of sleeps.

His head lolled forward, glasses tumbling off from his face onto a skewered close in his lap.

A drumming headache marched a tune up from his neck on either side of his temples. He wanted to toss all the papers and ledgers from the surface of the swamped desk, let them rot on the plush black carpeting below while he sunk into sweet sleep, but if there was one thing Reiji hated more than an unsightly disorder, it'd be the loss of a challenge.

"And that's all this is, correct? A challenge. A beast to be bested."

Somewhere in these clauses there had to be a clearly-legible cause for the loss of money his father's company was losing. Rubbing his temples at futile attempt to try and soothe his swelling headache.

At least he had already began working on the seemingly unsolvable puzzle. The first task had been to find information.

Reiji had split Red Eclipse's owners up in a deft, off-handed maneuver. He didn't need suspicion dogging and questioning his investigative purposes.

First he managed to corner the beautiful Etsuko. His method had been a combination of sweet-talking, indirect proverbial nudging towards the right direction. Overall he'd managed to keep his clothes on while concluding the tall blonde knew nothing about the finances.

His whimsical theory of some sort of foul play only strengthened in its solidity when Reiji orchestrated a meeting with Kagami. Unlike Etsuko, he replaced the sweet talk with free dinner and dessert with a personal in-house bloody wine.

200-year-old fermented, uncorked blood flowed along with more headway towards building a case for foul investment and breaches of legal contracts.

But the more information he gathered, the more Red Eclipse's aloof couple seemed like victims rather than the culprits he intended to hunt down and mete justice on.

Yes. Reiji made a promise on his character. He would find the individuals and any of their well-disguised ilk and when he did he'd make the calls he hesitated to do now. He'd pass the honor of severe punishment to his father.

Reiji smiled, his reflection returning the toothy mirth; then and only then would he feel truly worthy to speak to the magnanimous King of Vampires.

For a while he basked in the possibilities of such a conversation, such a triumphant beginning to endless fantasies. Unfortunately unlike the lifespan of his brothers the pleasurable goals were short-lived.

Thus far the sanctity of his room had protected him from their childish interruptions, and this sole peace had allowed him to complete much of the needed tasks; however, the start of the loud blows on his door, followed by their voices suggested the remaining night would bear little fruit.

On the other side Laito rapped again over Ayato's angry hollering. "Oi! Four eyes! You happen to be plannin' a trip to that club without us in there?"

Before Ayato went with his first instinct and yanked the hinges off the door, the lock unclicked and Reiji swung into view. Blocking their entrance, he narrowed his eyes and held up a hand at their rushing steps forward.

"Ayato, Laito. Isn't it a bit too late for your noise? What do you want?"

"Maybe we just wanted to say 'hi'?"

Reiji quirked an eyebrow. "Is that all? Well, hello then. Goodbye." He hadn't actually closed the door, knowing their intrusion was selfish and nothing close to brotherly affection.

Ayato and Laito would agree if asked. Blood tied them together, but it could easily rip them apart if prompted. Thankfully food was always readily available and their arguments rarely escalated into strikes. Not counting Subaru of course…

"Oi! Hold up! We ain't done talking to you yet." Ayato pushed past him, forcing Reiji to step back to allow them entrance.

Laito tossed himself into one of the two loveseats in the room. His boots crossed over the squeaky leather of the arm, while he propped his arms under his head for makeshift support. Reiji had just begun telling him to relocate the unsanitary footwear from his precious upholstery when Ayato piped up from his position behind his desk, rifling through the nearest stack of folders.

Flickering to his side, Reiji pulled the papers and their file from his hands, replacing it where it would remain free from damage. "Your manners are appalling as usual."

"Ayato-sama does want he wants. Anyways," Ayato peered at him through a narrowed gaze, "what could you be hiding?"

"I don't hide. Especially when I don't have a need. Now will you be informing me of this unceremonious visit, or must I find a way to drag you it out of you both?"

Laito's breathy laugh defused the animosity lurking behind their staring match. "Such bad tempers and so early in the night… Actually we wanted to go with you again on another of your stalkings… Hmmm."

"Stalkings? My efforts will help cushion the income that shelters, clothes and feeds you. They are not to be equated with stalkings. Now get out of my chair." Reiji grunted.

"Just makin' sure you ain't goin' off without Ore-sama." Ayato said, and instead of arguing he cleared the seat and the vicinity of the desk. Opting to stand at the same spot Reiji had been, the fifth Sakamaki son and the loudest of the brothers looked over what Reiji knew was the very green pastures of their handsome property. Though he suspected not in the same conscious light, particularly where Ayato was concerned beauty was framed between a woman's face and her waist. There might not be any love lost with his filial counterparts, but Reiji had long made it his business to know what their likes and dislikes were. However such reasoning was a mystery he'd never be able to articulately unravel to his satisfaction.

"And if I am?" He replied answering the delayed pause to Ayato's statement.

"How unbrotherly of you, Reiji." Laito tsked. He'd rolled over and pulled himself up into a position where his elbows were propped up and he cupped his cheeks with his hands.

"Please forgive me then. Only place yourselves in my position. Your sudden interest in my activities is unnerving and I have every right to distrust and deny such a request."

"Hey! Why can't we go with you? Huh?" Ayato moved closer, his posture had turned aggressive again.

Laito also rolled out of the couch and approached the desk's opposite ending, and in this position they confronted Reiji from the side and head-on. But no blood would be spilled.

"Ayato's right. We've been good and sweet and… Imagine the things we could do to this room of yours if you don't take us?"

Ayato blinked. His clenched fists relaxing signaled his understanding of the implication

Laito's implication was a testament to his more calculating brain. As the eldest of the triplets he showed much more reserve and astuteness. Now if he managed to shed himself of his sexual pervasiveness than Reiji believed he would be a formidable figure in the

"Fine." He said. And although ducking for the briefcase at the foot of his desk, Reiji was acutely aware of their victorious relief. "Once again I expect the utmost presentation. I will not have you sully my name. What I don't expect from you is to understand the rationality—plain as it is—behind my words. Nor do I ever."

"Yeah, yeah! So basically we stay out of your way." Ayato said.

Reiji fought the urge to sigh. Fatigue and exasperation were a lethal combination. "Hai. In so few words. Much like, I'm sure, whatever poor creature had earned your frightening attention."

Ayato scoffed. But his reaction was enough to confirm what had just been mere guessing on Reiji's part.

"Well since you asked so kindly…" Offering a more forth-coming reaction, Laito's sarcasm roused even a smile from Reiji. "I found the entertainment quite…entertaining… Do I need to explain myself further?"

"Heh. You got yourself laid did you?" Ayato's naïve obscenity was enough to make even Reiji cringe. It was to be expected, yet the crude speech always unsettled him.

He censured where he could, but with Laito feeding off of him and vice versa, it never stuck and was, therefore, near impossible. Much like the rest of them, what their childhood hadn't fostered would not be grounded now…

"Tsk tsk. I told you once already, Ayato-kun, I don't kiss and tell." Laito teased.

"Heh. Don't you mean 'kill and tell'?"

Green met green, and then they shared a laugh.

Displeased by their merriment, Reiji frowned, tapping the end of his gold and ruby-studded Omas atop the thick manila folder holding their newly-organized family finances. "I hope that's not the case. Murder might be easy, but it'd be awfully stupid."

"Then remind me to plan my murders elsewhere." Laito remarked over a blasé smile.

"Besides, it ain't as hard as it looks. Accidents can happen you know." Ayato shrugged off Reiji's callous glare.

"Now it's your turn. Who is she, Ayato-kun?"

"Ore-sama might have found something worthwhile." He cocked his head, eyes narrowing on Laito's smirking countenance. "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing really. You just reminded me of someone right now, that's all."

"Oh is that right?" Ayato cocked a brow, a slow-forming grin pulling his lips. "Another good reason we should go again. Ore-sama only wants more and more…"

Laito's content sigh echoed in the room. "Ore mo…"

Having located the papers he needed for this particular round of trips right on time, Reiji locked away the color-coded files into the safety of his briefcase. The click of the setting locks riveted both his younger brothers' attentions from their testerone-induced fantasies.

Normally Reiji wouldn't waste even a precious second amusing the thoughts of their odd choices for diversion, but curiosity almost had him voicing dangerous questions. If he could the first would be identifying the hapless female or females who had them both dogging his steps like a couple of well-trained dogs glued to their owners. Of course there was the funny fact they had sharper bites than the average four-legged creature…

At the entrance they were detoured by a stuffed bear. The unanimated creature was lying directly in Reiji's path. He came to a hasty halt and the outcome was Ayato colliding into his back, pushing him dangerously close to trampling the stuffed animal.

"Oi! Ain't that the crybaby's bear?" Ayato remarked once he stepped out of Reiji's backwards glower at the unintended collision.

Laito moved to Reiji's other side so that he, too, could get a proper look at the furry obstacle. "It is. Kanato-kun won't be happy. Especially as it seems he's lost it again…"

"Heh. Oresama just got an idea."

"If that idea includes any action other than returning Kanato's teddy bear then I'll have to get you to reschedule your mischief." Reiji said, and before Ayato clamoured out his loud protest, he added, "Unless you've changed your mind and won't encumbrance me with your presence on my business."

Succeeding in silencing Ayato, Reiji stooped to collect the worn, limp form. He grimaced at the grime knotting the bear's surface. Long having lost its softness and sheen, it was like every other lifeless object in their castle. A remainder of the passing time and nothing more, but that wasn't true. This odd creature was loved, or at least its worn form suggested it was.

Bruised and battered, Reiji had to admit the silent creature was formidable in its fortitude. Where expected to fall apart, it remained pieced together by stitch-after-renewed stitch. Perhaps in a way it, too, gained immortality. At the least longevity…

"You're going to return it then?" Laito asked, the question effectively wrenching Reiji from his thoughts. Instead of answering him, he adjusted his glasses and resumed the brisk pace he'd been maintaining before the distraction.

They didn't have to detour, however, as the owner found them first. Purple hair was particularly upended today, and the greying flesh under his wide, frightful eyes were particularly tender. "Ayato! Where is it? Where is Teddy?" His hysterical greeting reverberated through the entrance hall and back up the long marble staircase they just descended.

Reiji grimaced.

"You, you… How could you be so cruel?" Kanato cried. Just like that the flood works replaced the screaming anger.

"Ah! Ne ne don't cry Kanato! Ne ne, we found your Teddy."

"Hontou ni…" He choked out past his sleeve.

Reiji held out the asked-for object. In his arms again, Kanato clasped the creature to his chest and buried his face into its mired synthetic fur. "So Ayato did take it then?"

"No. You just misplaced it again. And I must remind you to place it where it won't be damaged. Somebody could have had an accident."

Ayato and Laito snorted in unison, no doubt at the unfathomable idea that they could get injured and especially by something so entirely harmless.

The notion was just as ridiculous in his mind, but Reiji really feared was whatever might block him from accomplishing the duty he'd set out to undertake. An accident of any kind, even one caused by a bear or by its mentally-questionable owner, would set back or destroy all that he had worked for up and to that point, including the trip he needed to go do right now.

Having disposed of the burdensome bear, he rounded Kanato and dialed for the servant's quarters using the phone propped up on a table to the side of the double-door grand entrance.

"Where are you going?" Kanato asked as soon as he hung the phone back on its cradle.

"Do you want to come, Kanato? The club just might have something for you, too." Not to be mistaken for what it wasn't, Laito's friendly invitation was unsurprising. He had a strange way of being nice whenever it included raising the chances of multiplied misbehaviour.

"Kurabu?"

"Yeah! A club. Huh. Don't tell me you haven't heard of that kinda place before?" Ayato's teasing tone earned a scathing glare.

"It's not that. Stop mistaking me for some common vampire. Why would I go to such a disgusting place? And Teddy hates filth as much as I do…ne, Teddy?"

Interrupting their banter was the materialization of one of the myriad butlers. And like all his fellow coworkers, this swallow-faced man was incapable by a powerfully magical blood bond to refuse any command from a family member, direct or distant. Luckily, the castle housed only the six of them and if there happened to be visitors, they were of the human variety, and as such, they never saw past these walls again.

Expressionless, he placed the set of requested shoes on the floor in front of Reiji. With the polished loafers replacing the slippers, Reiji made to head out of the house. Naturally as fate seemed determined to thwart him of his plans so long as able, Reiji tilted his head towards this new distraction.

"Will none of you shut the hell up!" A quaking smash closely heeled the sound of clattering. "Oshaberi na. Like a freaking alarm clock. Kuso!"

"Must you damage the house on your rampages? I hope you know these walls don't rebuild themselves during the day." Which when said, said a lot because although blood dotted the surface of Subaru's knuckles upon the exit of his hand from the fist-shaped dent in the dry wall, those wounds would heal. It was fact that almost every wound on a vampire's body was superficial, or at least could be. There were special ways their kind could get hurt, so it was misleading to call them immortal...

Though the youngest of the family, Subaru seemed destined to die first. He was a walking time-bomb, and the only thing that protected him now was his near-constant residence in the castle, other than attending school. And in this way he had yet to make enemies. Real enemies anyways. Of all the brothers, he had the most animosity towards any kind of gatherings such as the present one.

"Oi! Show off. Did we wake you from that beauty sleep of yours?" Ayato goaded.

Subaru growled. "Urusai." In what otherwise might have been a blur to a human, Reiji, Kanato, Ayato and Laito easily tracked Subaru's blinking trajectory.

In that way Ayato was able to launch backwards and dodge the aimed kick to his head.

Subaru was intent on damage, and so he swiped out again, careening past both Laito and Kanato who otherwise might have been unintended victims if they, too, hadn't flipped in a similar direction out of harm's way.

Safe and sound again, Laito chuckled. "Guess Subaru isn't interested in going clubbing either."

"Hm." Kanato nodded over Teddy's head.

This continued for a bit more until a sixth voice introduced. Subaru stopped short from breaking the wall behind Ayato's head, and ironically at the command of the would-be interim head of the family.

At the top of the stairs, having mysteriously appeared there, Shu lounged over the plush loft beneath the large, centring painting. "So much annoying noise. I just missed Dittersdorf's final part of the Third Movement in the Ovid… Mattaku."

"Ovid what? Geez Shu, you blab on and on about that dumb music of yours."

One blue eye switched to focus on Ayato's electric green gaze. Lifting himself up from his reclining position, Shu yawned, scratching the back of his head. "Tch. What a waste. And now my battery's dead, too."

Reiji rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. He was almost embarrassed to be in the proximity of so useless a vampire. Shu's abdication, comically cruel in its own sense, was a direct tie to his personal laziness. And so here he was, filling the pinching shoes of the fair-haired eldest.

Hating the grating sound of his voice, Reiji intended to use that time to finally get on his way with his business.

"Reiji."

His name in that distasted voice stopped his finger from pushing the latch to the door free. Stepping to the side so in such a position he'd be able to face him, Reiji impatiently shoved his sliding glasses up his nose.

It was rare that Shu directly addressed him, and likewise in the reverse, and he wasn't alone in noticing this unusualness. Despite his curiosity Reiji held back his response. He had no need to impress any unnecessary kindness; kindness that might lead one of his other brothers to extend an invite to Shu. And that wasn't something Reiji would allow. Any time or place that was Shu-free was a gift not to be rejected or carelessly tossed away.

"That other man was asking for you. Something about money…" Shu drawled into another yawn.

That other man. In code that everyone there understood; code for a certain individual with moss-coloured hair and red eyes…

Never was there a perfect example of his dissatisfaction with destiny's go-ahead at family draw. Richter was a maniac, cruel and sadistic and perverted in his conduct; a true vampire in every mythological sense of the word. He also was their uncle.

Together the six of them were drawn by a similar dislike for this supposed adult authority figure. Not one of them hadn't fascinated at a most fortunate end to a more deserving soul.

They learned very quickly nothing good came of his visits, and whenever he was around or asking for all or one of them in particular it was never to share what another relative might, like presents.

Yet they also always managed to revert into fearful retreat. Like Reiji decided then.

"Ikimashou."

Understanding the need for a change of focus, Laito and Ayato trailed after him.

Fall had come early that year; its cold wind flicking at the loose twigs from hedge tops. The chill was nothing but water off their backs, and they could all easily stand around in their summer clothing without so much as a shiver.

Ayato and Laito had struck up a conversation, clearly avoiding the silent third member of their party. This was fine by Reiji. As it was the closest moment to peace he'd been given; an uncharacteristic selflessness on his brothers' parts.

Not that he got much peace. There was no peace in his mind, and where there was a lack of conversation was aptly filled in by the despairing formulation of the latest wrench in his planning.

Whatever Richter wanted would wait until he arrived, but he already suspected he knew the answer to the mysterious message of money.

Somehow, some way, the loathsome man managed to find out. It was an unrealized worst nightmare, and Reiji, like most vampires, thrived on that darkest part of dreams. Yet here was one nightmare he couldn't face, at least not for the time being.

There was only one last thing on Reiji's agenda at this point. "All I ask is you mind your manners. I will not tolerate any mud-slinging my way. Wakarimasu ka?"

Reiji accepted their shared smiles as good enough responses and soon the odd threesome were all occupying separate corners of the stretch limo. Laito switched between picking at his fingernails and looking out the window. Ayato had his arms folded across his chest, his head tilted back and mouth flapped open for the light snoring. In a similar sentiment, Reiji's eyes tiredly crossed as he tried to read over some documents. The lull that fell over them was dispersed when the vehicle pulled into a full stop.

Ejecting themselves out of the car, Laito and Ayato already stood on the sidewalk next to the car when at last Reiji retired from the comfortable leather seating inside. He exchanged a few quick words with the driver, mostly about scheduling and a pick-up time, and then he joined his brothers under the stoplight-red glow of the signage for the aptly-named business.

Red Eclipse.

Appearances could be deceiving. Through the bright light and past the buff-looking vampire security, there were a few seats too little, an over pricey menu and a profit-crippling disproportionate ratio of fifty-nine-to-one, vampires to humans.

So much like Red Eclipse's outward image, they were much more than they appeared. Any passerby would see three young men, each bearing his own signature outward characteristic so none would be mistaken for the other. And as far as they all partially confessed, each understood they were there for a unique reason even as they were all traversing down initially forked paths towards one destination.

One ignorantly shared destiny…


	8. Chapter 7

**x Chapter Seven x**

True to his word Ayato was lounging in the same room I'd first met him. Pocketing the key I'd opened the door with, I slowly set down the sloshing bucket, careful to spill the hot fresh and sweet-smelling soapy water within. It was hard task as I also wanted to keep my eyes on his reclining form.

"Took you long enough." He yawned, stretching his arms out. Flipping to a sitting position in a blink of an eye, he cocked his head imploringly. "I don't really like to be kept waiting, you know."

"So you are the one who called." I accused, groaning. There had been a call earlier from one of VIP rooms upstairs for a clean-up emergency. Normally the club had a couple of janitors who rotated duties, or at least that's what I was told. So having been wrangled into cleaning duty and so early in my shift, I had struggled to do the best that I could.

The best happened to thirty or so minutes of filling the large bucket, hunting down the proper detergent, freeing the mop from a closet I could have sworn had at least fifty spiders, and then hauling the whole load from the kitchens nearer the back of the club, all the way to the front and up a flight of stairs that shouldn't ever exist.

And apparently all my efforts were in vain.

"Oi, daikon-ko, you really suck with this whole customer service thing."

"Uh, what customer? And what the heck did you call me?"

"Daikon-ko. What are you gonna do about it?"

So I had heard right. Daikon. Radish. He'd just called me a radish and he expected me. I growled, nostrils flaring at his unimaginable levels of rudeness.

"And let's get this straight now. This Ayato-sama will be the best customer you'll ever have, so…you better enjoy serving me now."

On one hand I seriously contemplated strangling him, but on the other after a long flight of stairs carrying the heavy bucket and soggy mop, I wasn't in the mood to entertain him. Instead I settled with letting out a particular fierce growl and grabbing the bucket, I moved quicker to the door than I had on the way in.

Only I seemed to forget that he could move quicker.

"Get out of my way." I growled, in place of screaming when he just materialized out of nowhere.

"Make me."

I wanted to throw my hands up in the air but that meant dropping the bucket and mop. Speaking of hands, mine were shaking under the heavy weight, threatening to drop all and sundry any moment now.

He grinned, leaning back against the exit, arms folding over that partially naked chest. "All talk, huh? You're really something."

"Yeah, sure. And now I'd like to be all walk-out-of-here, if you don't mind?"

'And if I do?"

I sighed heavily, rolling my eyes. At this rate I would never get to leave or my arm would fall off. The latter might actually get me sent to the hospital, so in the long run I might indirectly escape Ayato. "Can you just let me go please?"

"You ask that a lot. Let me, let me… uttoshiin darou." How annoying.

Trying and failing to wrap my mind around how exactly he found me annoying, I adjusted my hold on the bucket handle and my grip on the mop's wood handle threatened to snap it in half. Still I realized that a guy like Ayato fed off of this kind of stuff. I needed to remain calm, in control—it was my only chance to escaping. "If you find me so annoying, why don't you just get out of my way and I'll be more than happy to leave you alone."

"Nice try. Besides, you haven't cleaned up around here."

"What the hell needs to be cleaned? Everything looks all good." I sneered, unable to stifle the disdain. Looking around the room for effect, I stomped the mop on the floor along with my boots. For this occasion I was allowed to change into more appropriate, and thankfully comfortable, footwear.

"Does it?"

With the same speed he'd used to blur in front of me, Ayato's hand clamped down on one of my wrists. A slight tug on his part and I stumbled forward, bucket teetering dangerously.

"Stop! Are you nuts? Let go, you freak!"

The grin slipped, eyes narrowing. "What did call me?"

I froze. Slightly losing my fire, I exhaled deeply. Not trusting myself to talk, I reaffirmed my grip and emphasized my point with a sharp pull.

He responded with a similar tug in his direction. Understanding the situation as more and more like a pointless tug-of-war, I still continued struggling against his domineering persona.

Of course my chest took that time to start its painful nonsense. A ricochet of flashing hot pinpricks exploded from my chest. The next few seconds inched as if someone had hit the slow-forward button on a player. My hands jerked free, fingers kissing the handle goodbye as it sailed forward.

The bucket swayed, ejecting the half gallon water on its hapless obstacle. All at once time and sound came crashing down along with the echoing ring of the bucket hitting the ground. I was hunched over slightly, hands pressed over the opposite side of my heart where the minutely blossoming ache ebbed as quickly as it came.

My mouth parted at the sight in front of me.

Standing in the puddle of the aftermath, Ayato's mouth fangs were already sharply in focus. A purr of a growl headed his angry words. "Idiot woman! You dare try to hurt this Ore-sama?"

"Hurt you?" I exclaimed. Shock had freed my tongue. "I didn't do it on purpose. I mean, what the heck am I saying? I didn't do it at all! It's your fault."

"My fault?" He snarled.

"Duh! I told you to leave me alone. If you hadn't been pulling it so darn hard—" I shook my head, furrowing my brows and all at the defence of my perspective. The way I saw things I wasn't at fault. He was. "God! Why were you even doing that in the first place?"

"Urusai darou! Man, you talk too much." He said. His gaze had dropped to assess his shirt. Hands clasping open his black riding jacket, he let out some profanities suggesting there was significant damage to what appeared to be an expensive wardrobe.

"Omae…are you going to take responsibility for this?"

Having divested himself of the jacket, he lifted his fitted black tee up and over that alarming red hair of his. Wringing the shirt, an excess of water flowed out onto the water-drenched floor.

A grimace marred his gorgeous features.

Without what seemed to be a further thought, he dropped the soaked shirt to the floor as well; thus revealing the full glory of his sculpted upper form to me.

Needless to say I was mesmerized. My eyes travelled across the pale planes of his four-pack, running up to his pert nipples and then back down to the outline of a toned V disappearing past the top of his jeans.

Thankfully my survey went unheeded. I hated to think how he might spin that one. The thought tightened my one-hand grasp on the mop handle. Pushing back my shoulders I corrected my height and dropped my hand from its comforting pressure over my now pain-free chest.

At around the same time, Ayato refocused his glare on me. "Looks like you got your mess now. Better get cleaning, daikon-nin."

While I stuttered past my anger for a smart reply, he breezed back to his seat. Throwing his arms back over the back of the chair, he smirked. "Give me a show."

I bit my lip. Coppery blood dashed over the tip of my tongue. Not a clever move at all. Ayato's eyes closed and his head tilted back, nostrils expanding on a particularly deep inhale.

"Mhmm…omae no chi…" His dark chuckle stirred residual twitches from my breast.

Quickly sucking in the lower lip, and hopefully along with it the triggering smell, I dropped my head to the task all around me.

Righting the bucket I started cleaning. Naturally Ayato was watching me the whole time. As the small victory of having cleared most of the water came, he reminded me of his presence when he asked, "Oi. What did you say your name was again?"

Startled, I glanced up briefly. "Aira."

"Stupid name. Don't sound Japanese."

"That's because it isn't."

"So what the hell are you then?"

I rolled my eyes. It seemed I did that a lot around him. "Duh. A human." My reply was meant to goad him, but as Ayato's brows scrunched in angry confusion, I figured he hadn't taken to my teasing very well.

"Cute, daikonjin."

Propping a hand on my hip and resting the broom on my other side, I frowned. "Why do you keep calling me that? Is that supposed to be some twisted kind of insult?"

The shock on his face was eclipsed by the usual maniacal grin. "Tell you what. This Ayato-sama will stop just as soon as you pull off that ridiculous thing on your head."

Of course. It made sense. The white wig and the daikon radish… Still… "Couldn't you have chosen another vegetable? Not that you should be calling me, or anyone, anything like that!" I wanted to put a foot in my mouth. And even more so when he laughed.

"You sure are a funny one. So if you're not from here, where the hell are you from?"

I thought about lying to him, but I was already replying, "Various parts of Europe."

"Huh? Yooroppa ka? What are you doing here?"

"That's for me to know, and you to stop asking."

He grunted. "Humans are so strange. What are you, like sixteen or something? How do you know about this place? About vampires?"

"Great question. Almost as if I hadn't just closed that topic." My sarcasm oozed out but it, too, fell on deaf ears.

"Yeah. You know, the food chain and stuff… How easily I could eat you."

I stiffened.

"Vampires live off of humans, sure. And I did say I was going to chase you…" His monotonous assessment continued while I'd gone from numb to remember.

"Your white wig would be stained a yummy red…"

My grip slipped on the mop. It slapped down onto the floor. My chest was hurting again. Breathing came harder and harder, my vision blinked black every other second. Over the raucous of my body Ayato's words rang clear. "Your blood…you might just be cleaning that up next."

"Ya-a-mete…k-kudasai." Half-gasping the plea over a series of hacked coughing; I pressed both my hands over my chest. I wasn't sure if it was an asthma attack, but I pulled out my inhaler from my bra.

Brandishing weakness in front of an enemy was equivalent to signing a death warrant. I hypothetically scrawled mine in my chicken scratch when I puffed in the sweet, sweet medicine's clearing air down my scratch airway.

Slowly and surely I recovered. Weak limbs struggled to push the inhaler back in place once I was sure the worst of it passed. The fatigue was the harder part to bear after an attack. Not that I would have to bear with anything if Ayato hadn't just minded his own business! Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

Though I wasn't surprised he hadn't been listening to my demands, and slightly fearful he might find out something I didn't want him to, I returned to mopping.

Stooping to right the mop, I adjusted it so that I could wring out the excess water from the mop into the bucket. I had just set the mop back onto the floor to wipe up the last traces of the watery mess when I heard an inordinate amount of movement.

Actually it was the fact that I didn't hear anything that had me looking around.

He was gone.

Halting my fierce strokes of the mop, I brushed the wig's white fringe out of my eyes. Glancing around the room very slowly I confirmed he had, indeed, vanished.

With my stroke of luck, he might not have seen the inhaler at all.

_Or the very least put two-and-two together._


End file.
